Retribution and Renewal sexis COMPLETED
by bikandu
Summary: The 3rd in a Sexis trilogy, Sonny and Alexis try to build a relationship, but Helena has other plans.
1. Chapter 1 of 24

This is a sequel to "First Love Lost" and "Crimson Dreams". I have tried to make this one self-contained, so you don't need to read the previous stories.   
  
Timeline Issues: This is an old story. In this timeline Courtney hasn't arrived. Helena has escaped from jail, but has not contacted Nikolas. Carly is in Puerto Rico, for her own protection. If she were in this story, she would be dead inside the first 1000 words.   
  
____________________________________________________________  
  
Come in from the cold for awhile   
  
Everything will be alright   
  
Come in from the noise for a time   
  
Everything will be alright   
  
Dave Matthews Band - untitled final track of "Before These Crowded Streets"   
  
Johnny cracked the door of penthouse four open and peered inside. It was 9am and Benny had an appointment with Sonny. All was silent except for the sound of even breathing coming from the two people sleeping on the couch. As he approached, he was surprised to see the two of them sleeping in each other's arms. He wasn't sure which surprised him most, the sight of Sonny Corinthos and his lawyer cuddled on the couch, or the fact that his boss was still asleep at 9am. He wasn't sure which pleased him most.   
  
Sonny's insomnia was notorious. He usually went to bed late and woke up before sunrise. Yet here it was well past sunrise and his boss was sound asleep with his arms around his attorney. Ms Davis was curled up against Sonny's chest with her head resting on his shoulder. His head rested on hers and his arms were wrapped around her shoulders. Johnny had never seen him so relaxed.   
  
Ms Davis seemed comfortable and secure. When he left the night before, even though she was sleeping there was tension in every part of her body, now all the tension was gone. She looked as if, in Sonny's arms, was the most natural place in the world for her. They both looked that way, as if it were natural for them to be together.   
  
Johnny smiled as he approached the couch. He placed a hand on Sonny's free shoulder. "Boss, wake up. Benny's here."   
  
He expected Sonny to wake with a start, as he always had every other time Johnny had to wake him. On more than one occasion, Sonny had grabbed him, ready to fight, before sleep fully left and he realized where he was. Johnny was in for another surprise.   
  
"Mmmm." Sonny yawned and slowly stretched his arms out. He looked like a contented cat. He gazed down at Alexis. A tiny smile teased the corners of his mouth. His hands returned to her shoulders and he stroked them gently. She snuggled closer. His smile grew and he kissed the top of her head. Johnny felt like a voyeur.   
  
Sonny didn't want to move. He knew this time was precious. He had Alexis in his arms and she was comfortable there. Soon she would wake up and would insist that they were just friends. Soon she would pull away from him and he would let her. He promised to be whatever she needed and right now she needed him to be her friend. But until she woke, he was going to take advantage of whatever time he had, to hold her, to smell her sweet floral scent, to feel her breath against his chest. Now while she was asleep, his touch was welcome. When she awoke, it would frighten her.   
  
"Benny's here. You have a nine o'clock appointment." Johnny hated to disturb him.   
  
Sonny sighed. "Okay Johnny." He began to position the throw pillows against the arm of the couch. Sonny gently moved Alexis off his shoulder and onto the pillows. His hand reached out and touched her cheek and he smiled. He motioned to the blanket that fallen to the floor. "Could you get that?"   
  
"Sure boss." Johnny covered her with the blanket.   
  
"You stay. I'll meet Benny in the hall" Sonny backed away from the couch and headed out the door. He never took his eyes off Alexis.   
  
Benny was expecting another normal day, but it wasn't starting out that way. He expected to be in Sonny's penthouse right now, giving him an update on Helena Cassadine. They had a 9am meeting. Sonny was usually very punctual, yet it was already quarter past and here he was still standing in the hallway. He looked up as the penthouse door opened and stared at his boss. The man who exited the penthouse was not what he expected. He expected the facade of perfection that Sonny usually wore, perfectly combed hair, dressed in one of his expensive monochrome suits. Sonny was wearing a gray suit, with a black shirt over gray slacks, but it was rumpled, and his hair was tousled. And the most surprising thing about his appearance, he looked rested and relaxed. No, things were not going as expected.   
  
"What have you got?" Sonny was all business. At least that was normal.  
  
"We've discovered Helena Cassadine's whereabouts." Benny was glancing at his notes. "She's on her yacht, in international waters. That puts her out of the reach of the PCPD, but it means she's less likely to cause any problems in the short term."   
  
Sonny took in the information. He glanced at the floor and his thumb rubbed his lower lip. He couldn't make effective plans in a vacuum. He needed more information, if he was going to neutralize Alexis' wicked stepmother. Sonny looked up, making direct eye contact. "Keep up the surveillance of the yacht."   
  
"Yes sir."   
  
"And Benny, I want you to get me every piece of information you can about Helena Cassadine. I want to know more about her life than she does."   
  
"Okay, but she's from Russia. Information from there is hard to come by. It could get expensive."   
  
"I don't care Benny! Get the information. Use the accounts we have in the Caymans. Call me if you need more money."   
  
Johnny took a seat across from the couch and regarded Ms Davis. She seemed much more relaxed this morning. He didn't know exactly what happened the night before, but whatever it was, affected her physically and mentally. When Sonny brought her over from penthouse two, she was emotionally detached and almost literally freezing. The kind, self-assured lady he had come to know, was nowhere to be seen. Johnny couldn't imagine what happened to her to put her in such a state, but it must have been horrible. When he left last night, Ms Davis was asleep on the couch wound up in a tight ball. He didn't think an adult could possibly make herself so small. He didn't think sleep was possible with so much tension in a body, but she certainly looked relaxed now.   
  
Alexis opened her eyes to Johnny's concerned gaze. She brought her hand to her face.   
  
"Am I drooling, Johnny?"   
  
Johnny blinked. "Huh?" He had been lost in thought and hadn't noticed she was awake. "What?"   
  
"Good morning Johnny. Am I drooling or something? You're staring rather intently."   
  
"Ah no Ms Davis, you're not drooling." Johnny moved to sit at attention.   
  
"Not drooling, well that's one good thing and could you please call me Alexis?" She began to stretch as she moved to a seated position on the couch.   
  
"Oh no, I couldn't do that Ms Davis. It's not . . . "   
  
"It's not professional, I know. We can't mess with the bodyguard's code of professional conduct can we?" She smiled displaying full dimples.   
  
Johnny couldn't help but smile himself. She was in good humor this morning and she was teasing him. That was good. That was very good! There was no sign of the trauma of the night before. It was as if the previous night hadn't happened at all. "No ma'am. We can't mess with the code."   
  
Alexis looked toward Sonny's balcony. "The sun's been up quite a while. What time is it?"   
  
"It's 9:25."   
  
"9:25! I slept here all night?"   
  
"Yes ma'am"   
  
"I suppose you were assigned to watch me?" She tilted her head and gave him a pitying smile. "I'm sorry Johnny you had to pull such lousy duty."   
  
"I would have been honored had I been asked Ms Davis, but I wasn't. Mr. Corinthos was with you, right here, all night."   
  
"He was right here?" She pointed to the couch. Johnny nodded. "All night?"   
  
"Yes ma'am, I found him here this morning, when I woke him for the meeting with Benny."   
  
Alexis was staring at the empty spot next to her on the couch. "All night?"   
  
They were on the couch together all night. Her dreams flashed through her head. She had dreamed of Christian, a passionate dream of her first love. He had been dead for more than 15 years, yet the thought of him still sent an electric thrill through her. Her hand traveled to face. The rings Christian had given her so long ago caressed her cheek. Last night's dream had been vivid, more real than any dream in recent memory. She could still feel his arms around her.   
  
Then she remembered Sonny. She had dreamed of him too. One minute she was with Christian, holding him close, and then, suddenly it was Sonny her hands were touching. She was shocked to discover that her feelings for Sonny were as strong as those she felt for Christian. She had never felt that kind of passion with anyone else, until last night. She and Christian were electric together. A strong current flowed between them that elicited sparks whenever they touched. She never tired of his touch. She still missed it, missed him. But last night with Sonny, she felt flames. She had dreamed of Sonny before, many times before, but she never felt anything so intense. She had never felt the flames before. It was a white heat that drew them together. They could not get close enough. Oh this was not good. She was having trouble controlling her feelings before, and this was not going to make things easier.   
  
"Ms Davis?" Johnny interrupted Alexis' contemplations. She blinked and gave him a questioning glance.   
  
"What Johnny"   
  
"Mr. Corinthos is in the hall, meeting with Benny." Johnny repeated. "I thought you'd want to know where he was."   
  
"He's taking a meeting in the hall? I suppose I'm the reason for that huh?"   
  
Johnny nodded.   
  
"Well we should vacate the premises then, shouldn't we? We can't have Sonny Corinthos conducting his business in a hallway. He has a reputation to protect." She pushed the blanket aside and rose from the couch and headed toward the door. "I'm supposed to meet him at 10:00 to discuss some contracts, but since he let me oversleep he's going to have to reschedule. I think I'm going to be busy with my sister this morning and I have court all afternoon. You'll explain for me won't you Johnny?"   
  
Johnny moved to follow her. "Yes ma'am" Sonny was going to be disappointed. 


	2. Chapter 2 of 24

Kristina wore a path in the carpet of Alexis' living room. She was tense. It had been nearly twelve hours since Sonny Corinthos took Alexis away, twelve hours of waiting and not knowing what was going on. She was worried about her sister. Alexis could have frozen to death last night. And somehow she was to blame. She tried to get Alexis to open up a bit and talk about her feelings. Instead she had triggered a terrible memory. Alexis became lost in some secret terror that gripped her so tight, she lost all touch with reality. She had become almost catatonic out on the balcony. She stared into the blackness of the night, insensitive to the cold that threatened her life. Kristina didn't know how to help her, and she couldn't get her to move out of the cold, so she sought the help of someone Alexis trusted. She went to Sonny Corinthos.   
  
Sonny had helped. He coaxed Alexis off the balcony, but then he had spirited her away to his penthouse. He wasn't allowing Kristina access to her sister. He said Alexis was sleeping and needed to rest. Kristina didn't doubt that, but why couldn't she just see for herself that Alexis was okay. She had tried to check on Alexis early in the evening, but Johnny stopped her at her door. He was very polite, but very firm. Alexis would not be having any visitors.   
  
Maybe if she had been able to see her sister, she could have gotten some sleep. Instead she had spent the night lost in worry. She wasn't worried about Alexis' physical safety. She knew Johnny and Sonny would keep her safe. It was obvious that Johnny had great affection for her sister. It showed in his demeanor when he met her in the hallway, or when he was assigned to guard her. It was the same with Max and Adam. They were all devoted to her. They were professional bodyguards. Kristina knew that. But there was always an extra measure of diligence when they guarded Alexis, which she never saw when they were assigned to Carly. They were paid to kill to protect Carly. They would die to protect Alexis.   
  
And Sonny, he was a revelation last night. He was fiercely protective and possessive of Alexis. He wouldn't let Kristina near her. One look had stopped Kristina in her tracks when she moved to comfort her sister, as Sonny lead her off the balcony. Sonny had shown her the face that controlled the underworld of the city of Port Charles. It was the face of the man that Ned and Jax had warned her about, a powerful man in a violent world. Then he had turned to Alexis and a different man appeared, a gentle man who truly cared for her sister. The sound of his voice when he talked to her, the way he touched her, Alexis wasn't just his attorney. She wasn't just his friend either. Kristina wondered if Sonny knew he was in love with her sister.   
  
.  
  
Alexis found Sonny and Benny in the middle of an intense discussion, as she exited penthouse four. She worked hard not to eavesdrop. It was important that she not hear the discussions that Sonny had with Benny.   
  
"Gentleman the room is yours." She made her presence known.   
  
Sonny turned and saw her. "Alexis!" His features softened at the sight of her. His business face fell away instantly. His hand started to reach for her but he stopped himself. He didn't know if she would be comfortable with his touch in the cold light of day. "How are you doing?"   
  
Alexis looked over at Benny and kept her tone businesslike. "I'm fine Sonny. Thank you for asking." There was an awkward silence, neither of them wanted to reveal too much in the presence of a third party. "I've got to see Kristina." She pointed to penthouse two. "I'll see you later okay?"   
  
"Yeah, okay, see you later." Sonny's eyes followed her as she crossed the hall.   
  
Alexis opened the door to penthouse two. She peered inside. It seemed safe. Maybe she could slip inside and avoid Kristina. It would be nice if she could shower and change, before she dealt with her sister. She started toward the stairs.   
  
"Alexis!" Kristina ran from the living room. She nearly knocked Alexis over as she embraced her sister.   
  
"Oof. Kristina! Kristina, let go. I can't breathe!" Kristina released her and began to babble.   
  
"Alexis, I was so worried. Are you all right? You didn't get sick from the cold did you?"   
  
"Kristina . . . "   
  
"You look okay."   
  
"Kristina . . . "   
  
"Are you? Okay I mean."   
  
"Kristina!"   
  
"What!"   
  
Alexis looked at her sister. "You look terrible. Didn't you sleep last night?"   
  
"No, I didn't get any sleep last night. I was worried about you. How are you? Did you get any sleep last night?"   
  
"I'm fine. I slept fine. Actually I slept great."   
  
"Well that's good. Alexis, I'm so sorry I hurt you. I didn't mean to hurt you. I'm not even sure what happened, but I know something terrible happened to you and I couldn't help so I went to Sonny, because I know you trust him. I didn't know if I could trust him, but you do, so I took a chance and it worked because he helped you. He did help you right?"   
  
"Yes, Sonny was . . . "   
  
"Oh Alexis, I saw a different side of Sonny last night. It's the side he shows you isn't it, that gentle side. I can see why you love him. He cares for you so much, Alexis. I saw it. I think he's in love . . . "   
  
"Kristina!" Alexis grabbed her sister and dragged her to the couch. "Sit!"   
  
Kristina obeyed. Alexis sat next to her.   
  
"We need to talk." Kristina took a deep breath and opened her mouth. Alexis held up her hand in a stopping motion. "No, I need to talk. You need to listen." Kristina closed her mouth.   
  
"First, about last night, I had a flashback." This wasn't going to be easy. Alexis stood up. She needed to move. "I have had experiences in my life that I would rather not remember. To remember them causes pain. To share them causes pain, not just for me Kristina. They are the kind of experiences you shouldn't have to even imagine. They are images you shouldn't have in your head. I don't want to share that kind of pain with you."   
  
"Like when our mother was murdered?"   
  
"Yes, like when our mother was murdered." Alexis took a deep breath and tried to find the correct words to make her sister truly understand. "Kristina there are some things you just can't fix. No amount of self-examination is going to ease the pain. Talking about it isn't going to make me feel better. All you can do is limit the damage and try not to let the scars show too much. Do you understand?"   
  
"I guess. Does that mean we can't discuss your past at all?"   
  
"No we can discuss my past, but understand that I just can't talk about certain things. Please respect my wishes when I ask you to stop."   
  
"Okay."   
  
"Now as to Sonny . . . "   
  
"Oh Alexis, he loves . . . "   
  
"Kristina! Kristina please listen to me." Alexis sat down and grasped her sister's hands. "This is vitally important, more important than you dredging up my bad memories. This is life and death."   
  
"Life and death? But how . . . "   
  
"Kristina, Jax and Ned have told you about how dangerous Sonny is, right?"   
  
"Yes but . . . "   
  
"Well they're partially right. Sonny's business dealings bring him in contact with ruthless and dangerous people. My business brings me in contact with ruthless and dangerous people. When you practice criminal law, it just goes with the territory. In addition I have Helena's constant threats to deal with. So we both have accepted a certain level of danger in our lives. Do you understand?"   
  
"Okay."   
  
"Now having accepted that level of danger, you don't go out of your way to increase your risks. In fact you take steps to minimize your risks."   
  
"Like having Johnny at the door?"   
  
"Yes, Johnny not only protects us from Sonny's enemies, but from mine too."   
  
"Helena?"   
  
"Yes, and others. As I said, I have business with dangerous people too."   
  
"Yeah but where's the problem in talking about how you and Sonny feel . . . "   
  
"Kristina look at me. I can't control what you feel or what you think you know about Sonny and me, but you can't go around sharing your thoughts with others. It's dangerous. Sonny has enemies who would use that kind of knowledge against him. I have enemies that would use that knowledge against me."   
  
"People would hurt you to get to him?"   
  
"Yes!"   
  
"Helena would harm Sonny to hurt you?"   
  
"And it wouldn't matter, that what you think isn't true. If people just thought it was true, the result would be the same."   
  
"I understand. I don't want you to get hurt, Alexis."   
  
"I don't want anyone to be hurt. Can you do these two things for me Kristina? Can you keep your theories about Sonny and me to yourself? Can you back off when I tell you I can't talk about certain things?"   
  
Kristina was quiet for a moment, then she stood up. "I can and I will, on one condition."   
  
"What condition?"   
  
"On the condition that you let me do something for you."   
  
"Kristina what do you want to do for me?" Alexis looked at her sister with apprehension.   
  
Kristina just smiled. "You'll see."   
  
.  
  
Gentle waves lapped against the hull of the Cassadine yacht.   
  
"I'm bored Andreas." Helena Cassadine walked the deck, on the arm of her attendant. "The game with Nikolas is proceeding quite nicely. He will soon find his true nature and accept his place as Cassadine Prince, heir to the thrown of the Russian Empire."   
  
Andreas said nothing. Madame was in one of her moods. It was best not to contradict her. Her recovery from gall bladder surgery was going slower than she would have liked, and her required daily walks were not improving her mood. It was a beautiful spring day. They were floating on calm seas, in international waters. She was out of jail and on the road to recovery from her illness, yet Andreas knew madame couldn't leave well enough alone. She was about to start some new trouble.   
  
"I think I need to get to know the newest little Cassadine. I haven't been able to spend any quality time with Mikkos' second bastard child. Oh we did have that little chat while I was in jail, but that scarcely counts. I'm not at my best in prison. I couldn't show her the full extent of Cassadine hospitality." She smiled. "Yes Andreas, I must have a talk with Alexis' new found sister."   
  
Andreas just nodded. She was weak right now but she was still very powerful. She frightened him. He was not about to tell her that kidnaping was not a wise idea, when you are already a wanted fugitive. She didn't appreciate opinions that did not match her own. And she punished those that voiced them too strongly, especially on this subject. Soon she would be talking of bloodlines and her sacred duty to restore hers and Mikkos'.   
  
"I will never understand how my Mikkos could betray our sacred mission by producing offspring with that whore. Cassadine blood should have never mingled with that common woman."   
  
Andreas repressed a sigh. This was a sore subject with her. She was fanatical about protecting the family bloodline. Madame was the granddaughter of Olga Romanov. She was a third generation, direct genetic descendant of Nicholas and Alexandra, the last Tsar and Tsarina of the Russian Empire. She was their great-granddaughter. Her ties to the Russian throne were more direct than her husband's. Mikkos heritage traced back only to the Tsar's first cousin. Helena and Mikkos were fourth cousins. The Cassadines were a bit inbred. Andreas thought it explained some of madame's odd behavior. Her grandfather explained most of the rest.   
  
Madame's grandfather wasn't royalty at all. She wasn't recognized as a legitimate heir to the Romanovs, in part because she was female, but mostly because her mother was misbegotten. Olga Romanov had born an illegitimate child of her own. The child, Helena's mother, was the daughter of a commoner, although a most uncommon man. He was powerful. He was charismatic. And he was crazy. Andreas thought madame had inherited all these traits.   
  
"It was bad enough when he had one child with that whore, but how he could have made the same mistake again is beyond me."   
  
Oh boy, she was railing against Kristin Bergman again. Madame killed her more than 25 years ago, yet she still couldn't let go. Though her marriage to Mikkos had started out as more of an alliance than a love affair, she must have grown to love him, to carry such hatred for so long.   
  
Madame's husband had a long running affair with the beautiful opera singer. She had born him two children, both daughters. The oldest, Alexis Davis, was forced to live with madame after her mother was murdered. The second Kristina Cassadine, had been hidden from Madame. She had just recently discovered her existence.   
  
"I will take care of Mikkos' little mistake, just as I took care of that whore. Mikkos made me promise not to kill Alexis, and for the most part I have stayed true to my word, but I made no promises about the second little bastard. I am free to take care of that particular problem as I see fit! But first I'll want to get to know my newly discovered stepdaughter. Yes there will be plenty of time to do everything just right. I can have some sport with Alexis as well, and still keep my word to Mikkos."   
  
"Bring me a phone, Andreas. I must set things into motion." She smiled her grandfather's maniacal smile. "Andreas, I'm feeling better already. Soon you will be able to return to my bed, and every will be as it should."   
  
Andreas gulped and nodded. It was best not to contradict madame. 


	3. Chapter 3 of 24

I was wondering if you'd come along   
  
Hold up my head, when my head won't hold on   
  
I'll do the same if the same's what you want   
  
***Dave Matthews Band - The Stone   
  
Sonny was quiet as he punched the elevator button for the penthouse. He didn't like elevators. They were confining. This one was barely bigger than a closet and he hated closets. By necessity he rode this elevator every day and every day he felt the same tightness in his chest and a chill always found his fingers. He glanced over at Alexis and smiled. Just the sight of her warmed him. She was beautiful, and in full lawyer mode, discussing the events of the just concluded negotiation meeting with the warehouse workers.   
  
"I don't think this Shift Differential issue will be a problem. They want to change the night shift premium from a flat fee to a percentage of base pay." Her hands danced in the air as she made her points. "The up side of this is you won't have to renegotiate the fee every time the contract expires . . . " The elevator car shuddered, then stopped. "What was that?"   
  
"I don't know." Sonny pushed the 'Open Door' button. Nothing happened. He pressed it again, still nothing. He slammed his hand against the control panel. The tightness in his chest increased.   
  
"I think we're stuck. Hold on." Alexis pulled out her cell. "Johnny, it's Alexis. Sonny and I seem to be stuck in the elevator. Could you get someone on it?" She glanced over at Sonny, who attacked the control panel again, and then kicked the wall. "As soon as possible, Johnny. Thanks." She snapped the cell shut. "I think we're going to be here for a while."   
  
Sonny barely heard her. His chest was being crushed and he could barely breathe. The chill in his fingers had turned to ice that was seeping into every part of his body. He started pacing back and forth.   
  
"Sonny?" Her eyes followed him as he paced the elevator. "Sonny, what's wrong?"   
  
Sonny said nothing. He was sweating.   
  
"Sonny!" She grabbed his hand. "Sonny you're freezing cold!"   
  
Sonny stopped pacing and looked down at her slender hand. He felt its warmth.   
  
Alexis searched his face. "Sonny, are you claustrophobic?"   
  
Sonny said nothing. He focused on her hand and tried to breathe.   
  
"You are! You're claustrophobic! How can you ride this elevator every day when you're claustrophobic?" With her free hand she reached up and touched his face. "Sonny, listen to me. We're going to get through this, okay? I can help you."   
  
Heat shot from her hand to his face. He drew a deep breath. His hand covered hers.   
  
"We need to take your mind somewhere else, some place open. Are you with me?" Sonny nodded. "Close your eyes." Her forehead touched his. Warmth penetrated his soul. "I'm going to tell you about the most beautiful open space in the world. I'm going to tell you why I love sunsets."   
  
Sonny closed his eyes and breathed deeply. He smelled her floral scent. Warmth radiated from her. It penetrated through his forehead and melted the ice in his veins. The sound of her voice lifted the weight off his chest.   
  
"You're a thousand feet above the clear blue ocean." Alexis began, then stopped as a thought occurred. "You're not afraid of heights are you?"   
  
He smiled. "No. I'm not afraid of heights." It felt good to touch her. He brought her hand from his face to join the other at his chest. He covered them both with his own.   
  
"Good! You're on a Greek island. There are sheer cliffs below you, made from dark red volcanic rock. They're not barren though. The fishermen who live there have carved their homes into the cliffs. They paint them brilliant white and trim them in blue and green. Can you see it, Sonny?"   
  
Sonny nodded. He was focused completely on Alexis. His world consisted of the sound of her voice, her warmth and the picture she painted in his mind.   
  
"Good! Now up and down the cliffs are tiny winding roads that are closer to trails than real streets. And on the roads are people on dayglo motor scooters."   
  
"Dayglo motor scooters?" He smiled, showing just a hint of dimple.   
  
"Yes. Phosphorescent green, orange and pink motor scooters. You can see them everywhere."   
  
"Okay. I see dayglo motor scooters. Why do they have dayglo motor scooters?"   
  
"They're rentals. It's to keep them from getting stolen. Would you steal a dayglo motor scooter?"   
  
He laughed gently. "You know I can't discuss certain aspects of my business dealings."   
  
She smiled, her dimples matching his. "You would actually steal a dayglo motor scooter!" Laughter shown in her voice.   
  
"It wouldn't matter If I did. You'd get me off on a technicality. I'm sure." They laughed together.   
  
"I'd do my best. So can you see them? All over the cliffs are little pink and orange and green motor scooters buzzing along."   
  
"Yes I see them." His breathing was more regular now. He wasn't in the elevator anymore. Alexis had succeeded in transporting his mind to Greece.   
  
"The day has been very warm but there is a cool breeze off the ocean. You can feel it on your face. There are sea birds flying below you. They surround the fishing boats as they come in for the evening. Now look to the west. You can see the sun. It is literally a golden flame in the sky. The ocean is turning to gold. Golden waves with white speckles crash onto the beach below."   
  
"It's beautiful." Sonny opened his eyes and blurted. "Is that where you met Christian?"   
  
Alexis' mouth dropped. The elevator car started to move. 


	4. Chapter 4 of 24

The elevator was moving the remaining distance to the penthouse. Alexis realized they needed to separate. She tried to break contact but Sonny resisted. He did not want to lose her warmth.   
  
"Sonny?" She pulled her head away from his. She tried to take her hands back, but he would not let go. "Sonny, the elevator is moving. You need to be 'Sonny Corinthos' now."   
  
When the elevator doors opened he must be together and in charge. Not only could Alexis not let Sonny appear weak, but she could not let it be known how much she cared for him. It brought additional danger to them both and Sonny must be protected. Sonny looked her in the eye, sighed and broke contact.   
  
Johnny met them as the doors opened. "Sorry it took so long."   
  
"Don't worry about it, Johnny." Alexis touched his shoulder as she and Sonny headed toward penthouse two.   
  
As soon as the penthouse door closed, Alexis reached for Sonny and guided him to her balcony. He would need open space as soon as possible. She felt the heat when they touched. When had that started? Lately every time they made physical contact she felt it. A new kind of connection between them seemed to have been formed. He seemed affected too. His hands lingered when they accidently brushed her skin. Sometimes she thought he was trying to find ways to casually touch her. Mostly she thought her infatuation with him was getting out of hand. She was used to coping with her feelings around him, but everything had become intensified in the last week.   
  
Sonny stepped out on Alexis' balcony and breathed deeply. The sun was setting on the city of Port Charles. It was beautiful, but not as beautiful as the picture Alexis had painted in his mind. He wondered if the view from Greece was that much better or was it her touch that made it so special. He wished he could touch her now. He wished he could hold her, kiss her, but she wouldn't allow it, not yet.   
  
"Are you okay?" She touched his shoulder.   
  
Sonny smiled. "I'm okay, Alexis. Thank you." He noticed music. It was an intricate acoustic guitar instrumental, with slow saxophone accompaniment. "What's with the music? Every time I come over here these days, there's music."   
  
"It's Kristina's idea. She has decided I need music in my life. She says it will heal my soul." Sonny gave her a quizzical look. "She agreed to not talk to me about my feelings if I allow her to surround me with music. So now there's music in the apartment 24/7. She picks it all from my CD collection, so it's all music that I like, and I get the added bonus of no nagging."   
  
"This is from your collection? It's nice. What's it called?"   
  
"This?" She tilted her head and listened. "This is #34."   
  
"#34? Is that the name or the track number?"   
  
She smiled. "Well both actually."   
  
"It's nice." He looked around the balcony then back at her. "This is nice." He held her hand and gazed at the setting sun. Alexis nodded in silent agreement. She seemed content to hold his hand. They both relaxed, listened to the music and watched the sunset.   
  
"Sonny?"   
  
"Yes Alexis."   
  
"What do you know about Christian?"   
  
Sonny sighed and turned to face her. He hadn't meant to reveal any of what he learned the night Alexis slept on his couch, but he wouldn't lie to her. "I know you loved him very much. And I know Helena killed him."   
  
"How?"   
  
"Alexis, you talk in your sleep. That night after I found you on the balcony, when you slept on my couch, you dreamed of him."   
  
Alexis looked away and became lost in her dreams of a week ago. She had dreamed of Christian, her first love, the man she had planned to marry. She had embraced him, felt the electricity that was always there between them. She had dreamed of Sonny that night too, and felt a similar passion. If Sonny had heard her speak to Christian, what else had he heard?   
  
"Alexis, you said he was your husband." Sonny didn't want to push, but he desperately wanted to know about the man Alexis loved so much.   
  
She looked up. "Yes . . . No . . . He died the day before we were to be wed. In my heart we were husband and wife, but we were never married."   
  
"Do you want to talk about him Alexis?"   
  
She looked out at the sun setting on the city below. She never talked of Christian, not with Ned or Jax, not with Chloe, certainly not with Kristina, not even with Stefan.   
  
"Have you ever fallen in love - hard, fast and for forever?"   
  
Sonny took in a quick breath. He displayed an almost imperceptible nod.   
  
"Of course you have, with Brenda!"   
  
He didn't argue, but it wasn't Brenda. His feelings for Brenda were never like this. He had fallen in love with Alexis Davis. He had never experienced this combination of shared laughter and pain, of comfort and trust. He had never had a better or truer friend. And when she had touched him in an unguarded moment, his physical reaction to her was a shock and delight. His body needed hers. There was a primal connection there that couldn't be denied. He didn't want to deny it. Alexis was the whole package, mind, body, soul.   
  
Alexis wrapped her arms around herself as she stared at the setting sun. ""Well I wasn't expecting it, Sonny. To be honest I never thought I could find love, not after my childhood. I was just looking for freedom from Cassadine cruelty."   
  
It broke Sonny's heart to think of Alexis' childhood so devoid of love.   
  
"I just looked up and he was there. He smiled at me. He had the most beautiful smile. It just filled your soul with warmth." Her hand absently traveled to her face. The two diamond rings she always wore caressed her cheek. "Right away I could tell he was a kind man. He had kind eyes." She smiled at the memory of it. That shy smiled Sonny always saw when she was pleased with something but felt she didn't quite deserve it. "My reaction to him came as a total surprise. You know me. I like things rational and this was certainly not rational. And what was more astonishing was the look on his face when he saw me. He loved me right away, Sonny! I don't know why. I certainly didn't deserve it, but he loved me, without question, without reserve. His brother said we were love struck."   
  
"Love at first site?" Sonny couldn't even imagine an Alexis free enough to experience love at first site. She was so tightly wound. She would fight it fiercely.   
  
"Yeah, but I didn't believe it. How could I believe in something so wonderful? Christian had no doubts, though. He thought it was fate. From the first time we saw each other he knew we belonged together. He was a great believer in fate and he was eternally optimistic. He lived in the shadow of a volcano, and he thought it was a gift. He said it helped him make the most of his life." She tilted her head and caught his eye. "He was a talented chef Sonny. He was going to open a restaurant in Boston. We were going to raise our family there." Her head dropped, weighed down with a sadness born of lost possibilities. Tears filled her eyes.   
  
Sonny put his arm around her shoulder. She never talked of having a family now. She couldn't even contemplate marriage. It was just another thing Helena Cassadine had stolen from her. His hatred for the woman grew.   
  
"You saw it didn't you? You saw him die. That's what you saw on the balcony that night. Your mother's death, my shooting and Christian."   
  
"Helena discovered I was happy. She discovered I was happy and it piqued her curiosity. She had a little mystery to solve, something to relieve her boredom." Alexis' voice was filled with sarcasm. "She learned I was to be married and she decided to test Christian's love for me." Her hands were now balled into white knuckled fists. "Oh Sonny they beat him! His beautiful face was . . . " She let out a soft sob. Her tears were flowing freely now. "Helena wanted him to leave me. First she tried bribing him and then she had her men beat him. When he still refused, she killed him. She had him stabbed. She timed it so I would find him, still alive but too late to save him." She looked up at Sonny. "I tried so hard. I wasn't a child anymore. I knew what to do. I gave first aid. I tried to stop the bleeding. I called for help. I did everything right. He still died."   
  
Sonny pulled her into an embrace and whispered soft words of comfort. She sobbed into his shoulder.   
  
"I'm the reason he's dead Sonny."   
  
"It's not your fault Alexis. You did nothing wrong."   
  
"But if he never knew me, or if I had left him before Helena found out about us . . . "   
  
He took her face in his hands. "Don't think like that. It does no good. And you don't even know if it's true. I left Brenda to protect her. She still died and all I did was lose precious time with her. The future holds no certainties . . . "   
  
"...except one day we will die, so you have to make the most of every day. That's what Christian always told me." She smiled through sniffles.   
  
"Christian was a wise man." He showed his dimples and pulled her close. He gently stroked her back and she drew comfort from him. They watched the sun dip below the horizon. 


	5. Chapter 5 of 24

Alexis sat at the dining room table and watched Sonny. He was studying the playlist on the computer monitor. Kristina had connected her computer to the stereo system. This was the source of the constant music that filled the penthouse. Sonny seemed fascinated by it. Alexis was finishing the omelette that Sonny had prepared. He had insisted on feeding her dinner again. He was doing that a lot lately. He'd show up at sunset with some excuse or another and then manage to convince her he was the only one who could make sure she was eating right. He would then proceed to find edible things in her refrigerator, things that she didn't even know were in there. He'd combine them in some magical way so that the result was delicious.   
  
Cooking was a skill that had escaped Alexis for her entire life. She made many attempts at learning to cook in her youth. Then she met Christian and he restricted her efforts to microwave popcorn. He was to be the cook in their home. He promised her that popcorn was the only thing she would ever have to cook for the rest of her life. For a long time after he died, the thought of cooking was physically painful. By the time she got over her grief, she was just too busy with her law practice to take on the added duties of cooking. Or maybe she just wanted Christian's promise kept.   
  
Christian cooked to spread joy. He loved to see people enjoying his creations. Sonny seemed to use cooking to express his emotions. He had been offering Alexis his own brand of emotional support in the form of home cooked meals. It wasn't coincidence that he kept showing up at sunset. He was worried about a repeat performance of week ago. Kristina had tried to explore Alexis' feelings, and brought up some painful memories. That evening the sunset had triggered a severe flashback. The red of the early evening sky had sent her spiraling downward in an unending cycle of images containing blood and death. Sonny was worried about a relapse.   
  
He had valid reasons to check on her the first couple of days. Now, however she could easily make the argument that his visits were unneeded. She was fine, no flashbacks, no bad dreams, everything back to normal. She could make that argument, but she didn't. She liked his visits, and happily accepted his concern in the form of dinner every night. She felt a little guilty, but damn that man could cook! Plus, she enjoyed his company and he enjoyed hers.   
  
Part of her wanted to believe it wasn't just worry for his friend/lawyer that brought him over each night. Part of her wanted to believe that he felt the same way for her, as she did for him. Kristina was right, she was in love with Sonny Corinthos! Alexis knew the exact moment when she realized her feelings of friendship had escalated to love. When Sonny was shot, she discovered that his well-being had become as important, or maybe even more important, than her own. She wasn't sure when lust started rearing it's ugly head, but there was no denying that either. She wanted him, more and more each day. It was getting increasingly difficult to control her feelings, especially this last week. She sighed and looked across the room. Sonny was spending an awfully long time at Kristina's computer.   
  
"Sonny, what's so interesting?"   
  
"This is." He gestured to the computer "She's got a whole computer just devoted to music?"   
  
"Yeah, she uses it for L&B business. She's got the current L&B artists as well as demo material from bands they're thinking of signing. She is absolutely obsessive about music. She put every bit of music in the penthouse into that thing and cataloged it all. Then she organized it into little playlists. She's got the morning playlist, the evening playlist, the bedtime playlist, the Alexis is in a bitchy mood playlist . . . We should be listening to the dinner playlist now."   
  
"Yeah we are." Sonny looked at the display. The current playlist was titled 'Alexis - Dinner Time'. There were also playlists for the evening and the morning just as Alexis had said. He displayed a deep dimpled grin when he saw the 'Alexis - Bitchy' playlist. Then he noticed one particular playlist. It was labeled 'Alexis - Passion'. He turned to her. "Alexis, it's all Dave Matthews."   
  
"Yep, Kristina says his music reflects my soul." She ate the last of the omelette and dropped the fork to the plate.   
  
"Hmm." Kristina did have some insight into her sister. That was undeniable. However trying to figure out what was true insight and what was new age psychobabble was difficult. It made some sense, though. Dave Matthews was very much about passion, death and coping with loss. All things Alexis was intimately familiar with. His eyes came back to the playlist labeled 'Passion'. He moved the mouse to highlight it and double-clicked.   
  
"Where is your sister? Can we expect her home anytime soon?" He hoped not.   
  
"She's in New York with Ned. They're scouting new talent. I don't expect her back for three days so your safe. No nasty encounters with my sister tonight." She gave him a knowing smile.   
  
He smiled back. This night had potential.   
  
The last of the dinner music ended. A single guitar started playing. Soon percussion followed and then a slow sensuous sax, and finally the chorus.   
  
* Honey, honey, come and dance with me  
  
Honey, honey, come and dance with me   
  
Sonny smiled as he watched Alexis. She was sitting at the table drinking her after dinner coffee. The music was affecting her. She moved almost unconsciously to the beat.   
  
Oh, I say, will you look here   
  
Oh, it's a lovely night   
  
And I feel fine, I feel alright tonight   
  
It affected him too. He wanted to hold her.   
  
Oh and I see you there   
  
In the corner, long faced, and all sitting by yourself   
  
But I don't want to see you blue, no   
  
I don't want to see you in the corner by yourself   
  
"Alexis?" Sonny smiled and gestured toward the stereo.   
  
Come on now, girl   
  
Lovely, lovely, lady   
  
How 'bout you, how 'bout you, how 'bout you   
  
Come and dance with me?   
  
"What?" She was purposely misunderstanding his proposal. Dancing with Sonny could be dangerous.   
  
Sonny's smile grew to a full dimpled grin. He cocked his head to the side and opened his arms wide.   
  
Honey, honey, come and dance with me   
  
She looked down. She was at war with herself. She didn't say no, but she couldn't go to him.   
  
Honey, honey, come and dance with me   
  
He walked over to her and pulled her into his arms and held her close. "It's time to start healing your soul, Alexis."   
  
Honey, honey, come and dance with me   
  
As they swayed with the music, Sonny felt his heart beat faster. It was exciting just to hold her. He wanted her so much. She had to feel it too. It would break his heart if she didn't return his feelings. He buried his head in her hair, delighting in her scent.   
  
Honey, honey, come and dance   
  
Alexis was in a small panic. She couldn't let this happen. She needed to stop this before it went too far, yet she was powerless. She had no will when she was in his arms. She felt weak kneed and she certainly wasn't getting enough oxygen to her brain. All her blood was heading somewhere else. It felt wonderful to be in his arms. This was not good at all.   
  
Girl, how much time, how much time   
  
Should I take out of the night   
  
To warm you up?   
  
She wasn't running away. That was good, but not good enough. He wanted her enthusiastic participation. He ran his hands down her back and felt his body ache for her.   
  
How much time, how much time   
  
Should I take from the night   
  
To warm you up?   
  
Alexis was having trouble thinking. Her mind was flooded with the glorious sensation of his touch. This should not be happening. This was wonderful. She closed her eyes, placed her head on his shoulder and held on tight.   
  
Honey, honey, come and dance with me   
  
Honey, honey, come and dance with me   
  
They danced, sharing their first moments of real physical intimacy. Their bodies were made for each other. They fit perfectly, and moved in unison, as if they were of one mind, one soul.   
  
Honey, honey, come and dance with me   
  
Honey, honey, come and dance   
  
"Alexis" Sonny's voice was a husky whisper. "I love you. I love you and I want to be with you."   
  
The song climaxed with a flourish.   
  
Alexis' eyes snapped open "What!"   
  
.  
  
.  
  
* #36 - Dave Matthews Band 


	6. Chapter 6 of 24

The music in penthouse two moved on. Percussion filled the room with primal drumbeats that could stir the soul. A solitary flute teased the night, soon to be joined by acoustic and bass guitars.   
  
"What did you just say?" Alexis pulled her head from his shoulder and looked him in the eye.   
  
Sonny sighed. He'd gone too far. He let his heart control his tongue and said too much. He feared he had ruined everything, but he couldn't take the words back. He didn't want to take them back. They were the truth, perhaps the only absolute truth he had in his life right now. "Alexis I love you."   
  
How could he say that? How could he say he loved her? She didn't believe him. She wouldn't allow herself to believe him. It was safer to think that his constant teasing had turned callus. "Sonny don't tease me about this. It's cruel."   
  
"Alexis I'm not teasing. I love you. I think I have for a long time."   
  
"You can't love me. You're in love with your wife!"   
  
"Carly is not my wife! She's my ex-wife, the mother of my child and I care for her, but I'm not in love with her. I'm in love with you."   
  
"No! No, Carly's off in Puerto Rico and you're lonely Sonny. You're lonely and I'm just a substitute for the person you really want." Alexis' eyes were wet. Her tears were on the threshold of falling. She tried to pull out of his arms.   
  
He would not let her go. "You're not a substitute for anyone. I want you, Alexis!" He grabbed her hand and pressed it to his chest. "Feel my heart. Feel what you've done to me." His heartbeat was strong and rapid. It mirrored her own. Sonny's hands framed her face. His thumbs brushed tears from her cheeks. "Know that it beats only for you. Tell me you feel the same way."   
  
** So here we are tonight, you and me together   
  
With the storm outside, and the fire is bright   
  
"Sonny I . . ." A mind, body battle raged. She knew what she felt, but her mind wouldn't let her trust it.   
  
Oh and in your eyes, I see what's on my mind   
  
You've got me wild, turned around inside   
  
"I love you. I want you. Tell me you want me, Alexis. Don't deny it. Don't deny us."   
  
She looked into his eyes and saw truth there. It frightened her to death. She did want him. She loved him and that was dangerous. The people she loved died. They always died. Her body fought her brain.   
  
"Sonny I can't lie to you . . . "   
  
She couldn't get the words out, couldn't tell him her feelings. She couldn't leave him either. She returned to his arms. They held on tight, their breathing ragged.   
  
Oh and then desire, see, is creeping up heavy,   
  
Inside here, I know you feel the same way I do now   
  
Lets's make this an evening   
  
Lovers for a night, lovers for tonight   
  
She felt Sonny bury his face in her shoulder. His lips found the soft hollow of her neck, placing soft kisses there, and he began to work his way down. It was heavenly. It was dangerous. Her mind intervened.   
  
"Sonny I can't tell you I'm in love with you."   
  
"I know." He grasped her head gently, and peered into her beautiful brown eyes. "And I know why."   
  
"You know?" Her voice held shy wonderment. Could he really understand?   
  
"I know you can't say you love me. I know you don't want me to say I love you. If the world found out about us, you think I will be in danger." She nodded, her fear for him showed in her eyes. "The truth is, there would be added danger for you too. I know that. But the world doesn't need to know. I do."   
  
Her mind faltered, and her heart took some control. "Sonny I do care for you, so much I can't express it, it's too dangerous."   
  
"Not if we kept it here, just between us, no one else."   
  
Stay here with me, love, tonight   
  
Just for an evening   
  
When we're making our passionate pictures   
  
You and me twist up as secret creatures.   
  
"We keep it secret?" Part of her thought it could work, but fear still ruled.   
  
"It doesn't have to leave this room. Let the world think we're just friends, we'll know the truth."   
  
And we'll stay here   
  
And tomorrow go back to being friends   
  
"Do you want to keep it a secret?" Doubts were lurking in her mind.   
  
"No! I want to shout it to the world, dangers be damned, but I know you're not ready for that. Alexis, I can wait to tell the world. Just don't make me wait for you."   
  
"Sonny I . . . "   
  
Sonny laid a finger on her lips to silence her. Her lips were soft, just as he imagined them. He didn't want to imagine anymore.   
  
"Do you trust me Alexis?"   
  
Tears fell from her eyes. "There is no one in my life I trust more."   
  
"Then trust this. I know we're going to be magic together." He kissed her. Love or lust overruled fear.   
  
Take this chance  
  
Throw down your fears  
  
Throw up your arms  
  
Let's you and me dance!  
  
Sonny wanted to take it slow. It was their first kiss. His lips softly brushed hers. She responded instantly. She was on fire, all doubts from her mind. Her lips crushed his and her tongue danced in his mouth. She didn't want to go slow. Her body pressed against his and her fingers traveled through his hair. She had always wanted to touch his hair. His perfectly combed locks turned to chaos. His hands roamed her back and soon headed south. He found her round bottom. She moaned. They were wearing too much clothing. She tore at his shirt. Buttons popped as her hands found his chest. He groaned. All his control was gone. He stripped her clothing away and tried to guide her to the stairs so they could go her bedroom.   
  
"No. I want you here, now!" Alexis pushed him down on the couch, knocking over the lamp that illuminated the room.   
  
And tomorrow back to being friends yeah   
  
But now, lovers, love you   
  
Just for tonight, one night . . . love you   
  
** Say Goodbye - Dave Matthews Band 


	7. Chapter 7 of 24

Alexis stepped out on her balcony, clad only in a man's silk shirt, Sonny's silk shirt. What a difference a week made. Last week she had nearly frozen to death on this very spot. Tonight the night held the promise of summer. The air was warm and still filled with Kristina's music. Two acoustic guitars danced together in an intricate melody. She looked back at the chaos that was her living room. Sonny was sleeping on the floor, cocooned in a clutter of pillows, blankets and cushions. She smiled at him. He was right. They were magic together.   
  
She looked back over the city and wondered what she had just set into motion. She and Sonny were together now. There was no going back. Life had just gotten so much better. Life had just gotten so much more dangerous. She touched her mother's ring that hung from the gold chain at her throat. 'Momma I have to find a way to keep him safe. This can't end up like Christian. It just can't.'   
  
She felt the warmth of Sonny's arms encircle her waist, pulling her thoughts away from fearful subjects. She leaned into his bare chest and smiled. Sonny kissed her cheek, then nestled his head on her shoulder.   
  
*** Spring sweet rhythm dance in my head   
  
Slip into my lover's hands   
  
Kiss me oh won't you kiss me now   
  
And sleep I would inside your mouth   
  
"Hey" He pulled her close and his face broke into a deep dimpled, contented smile.   
  
"Hey" She glanced down, her smile was shy.   
  
"What are you thinking?"   
  
Her hands curled around his and brought them to her chest. Together they held the aspect of prayer. She did pray. She prayed she had made the right decision, prayed she could find a way to keep him safe. He was essential to her now, and his life was so much more valuable than her own.   
  
"I'm thinking this is a precious moment." She gently kissed his hands.   
  
"You're precious. You know that don't you?"   
  
He watched her shy smile of uncertainty. She was confident of so many things in her life, her intelligence, her wit, her abilities as a lawyer, but here she was on uncertain ground. He turned his head to her and his lips brushed her ear. "You know that I love you?"   
  
She snuggled closer and nodded, but he knew she didn't quite believe him. She still couldn't believe love could be real and lasting. Every time she tasted it, it was torn from her. He had spent the last several hours trying to show her how much he cared, repeating words of love, over and over, trying to make her believe. For precious moments he felt he succeeded, but her doubts always returned. She was afraid to even acknowledged her own feelings. She had yet to say 'I love you' to him, although he knew she did. Everything she did in the last few hours, in the last year, declared it.   
  
Don't be us too shy   
  
For knowing it's no big surprise   
  
That I will wait for you   
  
I will wait for no one but you   
  
He could wait to hear the words. He was confident of her love. In the past few hours it had become bedrock in his life, the foundation on which everything else rested. He wanted her to be as certain of his love for her. He would spend the rest of his life convincing her and be happy for the chance. He began to kiss her neck.   
  
Oh please lover lay down   
  
Spend this time with me   
  
Together share this smile   
  
Lover lay down   
  
He turned her in his arms so he could hold her beautiful face in his hands, a face filled with love and insecurity. His thumbs gently stroked her lips. His eyes locked with hers, commanding the attention of her big brown eyes. "Alexis, always trust that I love you." Her mouth opened as if to question. He stopped her with a kiss. "It's the one truth I have, Alexis." He kissed her again, removing more doubts.   
  
Could I love you?   
  
Could you love me?   
  
***Lover Lay Down - Dave Matthews Band 


	8. Chapter 8 of 24

.  
  
Come and relax now   
  
Put your troubles down   
  
No need to bear the weight of your worries here   
  
Let them all fall away   
  
Pantala Naga Pampa - The Dave Matthews Band   
  
Sonny walked out of the kitchen, telephone in hand. The sleeves of his gray silk shirt were rolled up and a dish cloth hung on his shoulder. He stopped at the foot of the stairs.   
  
"Alexis, dear-heart, that was Max. Your sister is on her way up. We lucked out. Ned's not with her."   
  
"Do NOT call me dear-heart! I'll be right down and Corinthos, don't forget your 'game face'." The hint of irritation in her voice couldn't disguise her good humor.   
  
Sonny beamed, displaying deep dimples. The past three days had been magical. Things were working out well. By day, they had managed to wear the facade of client and lawyer. They called it the 'game face'. In public they were disciplined, no stolen glances, no secret smiles. They rarely touched each other. Their conversations were terse and seldom strayed from business. At night they occupied their time touring the rooms in Alexis' penthouse, only Kristina's remained unvisited. It was the one room Alexis refused to go. They had also made significant progress in Sonny's penthouse, but they preferred Alexis' apartment. It had the advantage of Kristina's music. She could drive Sonny crazy, but that girl did know how to set a mood.   
  
The door to the penthouse opened and Kristina stumbled in, weighed down with luggage. "Alexis, I'm home." She walked, head down, almost straight into Sonny's chest. "Oh Sonny, hi"   
  
"Hello Kristina, welcome home, how was your trip?" Sonny smiled at her.   
  
"Ah, fine" Kristina was a bit unnerved. Sonny had given her a genuine smile, not the mob boss, kiss-of-death smile, she usually got from him. He actually seemed pleased to see her. What was up with him? "Ah, no offense Sonny but why are you here?"   
  
"I had a dinner meeting with Alexis. There are leftovers in the fridge if you're hungry."   
  
"Oh yeah, where are they from?" Kristina was hungry and leftovers from the Grille were always good.   
  
"Not from anywhere, I made dinner."   
  
"You made dinner?" Didn't he make dinner the night before she left? He was making dinner a lot. Her thoughts were interrupted by her sister.   
  
"Kristina! You're home. How was your trip?" Alexis bounced down the stairs, shoeless, clad in jeans and a sweatshirt. "Did Ned go straight home?"   
  
Kristina watched as Sonny walked over to Alexis and handed her the dishtowel. "The dishes are done."   
  
"Sonny does dishes?" Kristina whispered to herself. She stared at her sister. Alexis looked happy. Her demeanor was downright light-hearted. Something was up. "The trip was good. Ned's staying in New York tonight. He's got one more act to check out."   
  
"Are you hungry? There are some leftovers in the fridge . . . " Alexis rocked both hands to point toward the kitchen. "Pasta, it's good. I didn't cook it." Her smile matched Sonny's, deep dimpled and genuine.   
  
"Thanks, Sonny told me." Kristina stared at the two of them. Something was definitely up. Sonny was pleasant. Alexis practically floated down the stairs. They both looked happy. They both WERE happy! The room positively oozed joy! Alexis stood beside Sonny. They didn't touch but there was definitely a blissful connection there, something that wasn't there when she left for New York. Kristina smiled.   
  
Alexis noticed, and frowned. She didn't like it when Kristina smiled like that. "What?"   
  
"Ah . . . pasta sounds good." Kristina ached to quiz Alexis about what was going on with Sonny. But she made a promise. No prying, if Alexis would let her fill the penthouse with music. The music was still playing so she had to keep quiet. She listened. It was bright and upbeat. It didn't sound like the after dinner music she programmed. It should be mellow. This sounded like the morning music. Kristina wandered over to the computer. It was on the morning playlist. She frowned, and scanned the playlists. Something was amiss. She glanced up at Sonny and Alexis. "Did you enjoy the music?"   
  
"The music was . . . fine." Alexis answered for them both.   
  
'Fine', Alexis' favorite four letter word. It was so versatile. She used it when she was happy. She used it when she was sad. She used it when she was angry. She used it when she was trying to avoid something. Kristina studied her sister trying to discover which function 'fine' was serving tonight. There was quite a bit of color in her cheeks. Was she blushing? Her gaze shifted over to Sonny. Were they both blushing?   
  
Sonny's phone rang. He held up a hand to excuse himself and turned away. "Okay Benny, I'll be right over." He snapped his phone shut and spoke to Alexis. "I've got some business I need to take care of." He glanced over Alexis' shoulder. "Welcome home Kristina." He was smiling again. He headed toward the door. Alexis followed. "I my need you to look over some material later, if you have the time."   
  
"We'll see. I'll have to check my schedule." Was that a hint of mischief in her voice?   
  
Alexis never came close enough to touch Sonny, but she never allowed the distance between them to increase. Then she reached the threshold and stopped as if there were a hidden barrier there. "Goodnight Sonny." She slowly closed the door. Her forehead touched the wood that now separated them and her hand lingered on the doorknob.   
  
Kristina was frustrated. She had lots of questions and no way to ask them. And it looked like Sonny would soon steal Alexis away so she couldn't even spend her first night back with her sister. Then she had an idea. She could grab Alexis before Sonny had a chance. A girls' night out was called for. She hadn't seen her sister for days. They hadn't gone out in months. They were due for some quality time together. They could go to Lukes, have a few drinks and listen to the local bands. Kristina wouldn't pry, but if Alexis wanted to share, she would be a willing ear.   
  
"Alexis?" Alexis was still staring at the doorway. "Alexis!"   
  
"What?"   
  
"I need to ask you a favor."   
  
Alexis turned to her sister, her voice filled with suspicion. "What are you up to, Kristina?" 


	9. Chapter 9 of 24

Sonny was sitting at his desk, deep in conversation with Benny, when Alexis entered. His back was to her as he spoke into the phone. "Yeah the last of the pages just came through. No you keep working on getting translations at your end. I have someone here who's fluent in Russian. Call me when you're done. Thanks Benny." He heard the door lock click, turned around and saw her. "Wow!" Alexis wasn't wearing a sweatshirt and jeans anymore. In the hour since he'd last seen her, she had transformed. She wore a white silk wraparound blouse and a black leather skirt. Her legs seemed to go on forever. His eyes traveled their luscious length and stopped when he reached the 4-inch stiletto heals. "Oh my god!" He stood up and took her in his arms pressing her to the door. He had to stretch up to kiss her. She was now a good inch and a half taller than he was. His mouth devoured hers. He picked her up and carried her to the desk, pushing all the paperwork to the floor. His mouth moved to her throat, planting soft kisses. He was heading south.   
  
"Do not rip this blouse, Corinthos! It's one of my favorites."   
  
"Well then help me with this!" He was fumbling with the fasteners.   
  
"I will, but I thought you asked me over here for business not pleasure." She carefully removed the blouse and laid it over the desk chair.   
  
Sonny was lost in admiration for what lay before him. "What . . . I did have business to discuss . . . God you are so beautiful!" He pulled her tight and buried himself in her chest.   
  
She moaned in delight, but then pulled his face to meet hers. "Sonny I'm going out with Kristina in one hour so you have some decisions to make. Will it be business or pleasure?"   
  
"Can't I have both?" His dimples were positively wicked.   
  
"It is a viable option. But in one hour Kristina will knock on that door and I will be leaving. So if you want to accomplish your goals you need to stay on task. No meandering tonight. We are on a schedule."   
  
"But you love it when I meander." His hands had found the enticing legs that had caused this whole situation.   
  
She moaned. "I do!" But she pulled his hands away. If she let him continue, they'd never get to the main event in the time allotted and she very much wanted to get to the main event. "I'll come back later tonight. I promise. You can meander then."   
  
His hands broke free and moved to his favorite place. "Can't I meander a little? I want you to be ready. I don't want to rush with you. I never want to rush with you."   
  
"Oh Sonny I am ready!" She was ready at his first kiss. She pulled him on top of her as she lay back on the desk. It was time for the main event. 


	10. Chapter 10 of 24

"Sonny, how did you get Helena's KGB file?" Alexis sat at Sonny's desk, her reading glasses perched on the end of her nose. Everything on the desk had been put back in order. All the papers had been returned to the desk in neat piles. Alexis had put herself back in order. When Kristina arrived she would have no idea what had just transpired.   
  
"You'd have to ask Benny. He got 'em. Although as an officer of the court, I'm not sure you really want to know the details." He was standing behind her, his hands massaging her shoulders. He kissed the top of her head. She smelled incredible. He wanted to be with her again. Hell he always wanted to be with her, but he would wait until later tonight. If he was to keep Alexis safe, he needed as much information about Helena as possible. "The question is, can you translate it?"   
  
"I think so. It's not in code." She picked up a page filled with tiny script. "Let's see. Here's her biography. Birth date . . . Ooh, she is OLD! I should tell Luke her age. He'd love to torture her with that bit of information. As old as she is, why isn't she dead by now?" She continued to scan the handwritten notes of some unnamed Soviet bureaucrat. "Family history . . . She's the great granddaughter of Nicholas and Alexandra! She never told me that."   
  
"Who?" Sonny was a little short on Russian history.   
  
"The last of the royal family to actually rule Russia."   
  
"So she's actual royalty?" Sonny always thought she lived in the reflected glory of the Cassadines.   
  
"Oh yeah, it says here she's a direct descendant of the royal family. If she weren't female, her claim to the throne would be stronger than Mikkos'." Alexis did some quick calculations. "She and Mikkos are 4th cousins!"   
  
"Isn't that a bit incestuous?"   
  
"Well they couldn't legally marry in this country, but within royalty the marriage of cousins not that unusual. You'd think she would have lorded her heritage over me." Alexis turned the page over.   
  
"Oh my!" Her mouth dropped as she stared at the page.   
  
"What is it?"   
  
"I know why Helena didn't speak of her heritage. Her mother was illegitimate, a bastard just like me."   
  
"Alexis don't speak that way about yourself!"   
  
"Why not? It's what I am. I'm not ashamed. At least I know I was conceived in love. I'm not sure Stefan can say that. I know Nikolas can't." Sonny bent down, nestled his head in her shoulder and gave her a quick hug. Alexis continued to scan the documents before her. "Hmm, let's see who was able to sneak into the royal court and beguile the Tsar's daughter . . . Oh my God!" Alexis read the name of Helena's grandfather. "Grigori Yefimovich Novykh! No wonder that bitch won't die!"   
  
Sonny stood over Alexis and tried to make sense of the script in front of her. "Grigori Yefi . . . Nova-what? Who is he Alexis?"   
  
"Also know as Grigori Rasputin, The Rasputin Sonny, The Debauched One, The Mad Monk."   
  
"The Russian guy who wouldn't die?"   
  
"That's the one. He held great influence over the royal court. So much influence, that some members of the royal family conspired to kill him. First they poisoned him. Then they shot him. Finally they tied him up and threw him in the river. They say he drowned, but now that I know he's related to Helena, I wonder if even that worked." She continued to read for several minutes. "Sonny, Mikkos grandfather was involved in the plot to murder him. My great-grandfather killed Helena's grandfather!" Alexis was thoughtful for a moment. The wheels in her mind were turning. She sifted through more pages and assimilated the new information she just read. Then she smiled, the deep dimpled one that Sonny loved to see.   
  
"Sonny, it all makes sense now. How Mikkos could love my mother and stay married to that woman. Why she hates me so much. Why she keeps trying to kill me. She's not protecting the Cassadine bloodlines. She's protecting her own."   
  
Sonny wasn't sure why that would make her so happy. "Alexis, I'm just a simple coffee importer, explain all this royal intrigue."   
  
"Simple my behind. You're the smartest man I know." She looked back over her shoulder and kissed him. Sonny beamed. "Look it's all about power and line of succession. Helena's connection to the royal family is more direct than Mikkos, but it's not legitimate. That means she's last in the line of succession. She'd have to kill off the rest of the royal family before her children would have a chance at the throne. For a while that was her plan. Look here . . . " She pointed to a passage in the file.   
  
"Alexis, I can't read Russian."   
  
"Oh yeah, right. Well it says she spent her twenties working her way across Europe eliminating the competition. There were a whole series of 'accidents' involving exiled Russian Royalty. Then she met Mikkos. My father was a smart man, Sonny. He knew she was a danger to him and any children he might have. So he proposed an alliance. Mikkos' bloodlines were legitimate, but not direct. Helena's bloodlines were direct but not legitimate. Individually their claims to the throne were weak. But their children would be first in the line of succession."   
  
"And Helena wouldn't try to kill her own children. He thought they'd be safe."   
  
"Well that's what he thought. We know better. Stefan certainly does."   
  
"It was an arranged marriage." Sonny saw the implications that fact held for Alexis.   
  
"Yes, my father never loved Helena. He only loved my mother."   
  
"Excuse me." Johnny called from behind the locked door. "Ms Cassadine is here for Ms Davis."   
  
"Sonny, I've got to go." She rose from the chair and turned to him. She wrapped her arms around his waist and squeezed. "I'm so glad you showed me this!"   
  
"Tell me again why you have to go." He held her face in his hands. "Why can't we just stay here?"   
  
"I promised Kristina we could have a girls' night out. We're going to Lukes."   
  
"You're not going to Lukes looking like that!" He aimed a predatory eye at her legs.   
  
"I thought you liked my outfit." She backed away. She intended to spend the next part of the evening with her sister. She wasn't going to give him a chance to change her plans.   
  
"I love it. Did Kristina play dress up with you again?" He was about to corner her against the wall.   
  
"Don't start, Corinthos! I'm going out with my sister . . . " Sonny's lips crushed hers.   
  
"Alexis, hurry up!" Kristina pounded on the door.   
  
"Kristina I'll meet you at the limo in two minutes max. I promise." Alexis shouted through the door.   
  
"Two minutes Alexis or I'm coming back and I'll make Max break down the door!"   
  
Alexis was locked in Sonny's arms. "Sonny I've got to go."   
  
Sonny reluctantly released her. "You WILL come back tonight, right?"   
  
"I will." She ran toward the door laughing. "But you better come up with a good reason to see your lawyer at 2am." 


	11. Chapter 11 of 24

Johnny stood guard at the door of a small room adjacent to General Hospital's ER. Blood flowed down his arm and trickled off his fingertips. Tiny drops splashed to the polished hospital floor. The gash in his arm hurt but the pain was manageable. It would not keep him from doing what he needed to do. He defiantly eyed Dr Tony Jones as he approached, with a nurse at his side.   
  
"You've got to get that wound tended." Tony tried to steer Johnny in the direction of the ER.   
  
"I appreciate your concern Doctor, but I'm not leaving." Johnny looked over at the nurse. His expression hardened. "And she's not going in." He stood steadfast in front of the door.   
  
"Look, I will call security if I have to." Tony advanced toward the door.   
  
Johnny didn't budge. "Doctor you do what you think you have to. But know this. Ms Davis and her sister are in there. After what happened tonight, I will not leave here until Mr. Corinthos sends someone to protect them. And I will not let strangers near them. You can send for security, but you'll just have more patients to deal with."   
  
Tony didn't doubt the truth of Johnny's words. If he called security, there would certainly be an altercation that would result in Johnny adding a couple of security men to the list of patients Tony would have to see, before the end of his shift. Tony scrutinized Johnny. He heard genuine concern for Kristina and Alexis in the bodyguard's voice. Johnny was right, after the events of tonight, they did need protection.   
  
"Alright, no security and I'll go in alone. Is it okay for the nurse to bandage your arm?"   
  
Johnny nodded and stepped aside to allow Dr Jones admittance. He took off his jacket and held his wounded arm out for the nurse to bandage. How had what was supposed to be a pleasant evening at Lukes, so quickly turned into something so grisly.   
  
.  
  
.  
  
The parking garage of the "Harbor View Towers" was full of shadows. Konstantin Kabanov loved the shadows. It was his preferred element. He did his best work in the darkness of shadows and he lived for his work. He'd been in madame's employ for several years. It had been rewarding for him, both personally and financially. Helena Cassadine paid extremely well and he enjoyed his work. There was nothing more satisfying than staring into the eyes of his victims, when they realized they were powerless. He was grateful that madame was giving him another opportunity to experience that kind of satisfaction.   
  
This operation would be quick, clean and quiet. Despite the fact that the newfound Cassadine was guarded by thugs, there would be no gunplay tonight. That was bad form, and he would not allow it. He would control the situation. He was always in control. He had planned well and his men were in position. Vasily and Viktor were reliable men. As brothers, they worked seamlessly together and they too loved their work.   
  
The limo pulled up to the elevator entrance. The driver rounded the car and opened the passenger door, just as the elevator doors opened. For thugs they were very professional. There would be only a small window of opportunity. The bodyguard exited the elevator first and scanned the area. He would see nothing. He motioned for the girl to exit. She needed to be 5 steps away from the entrance before they could act. Konstantin smiled.   
  
Vasily was a blur as he swept out of the darkness and attacked the driver. His knife flashed and the driver slumped against the car. The bodyguard quickly moved the girl back toward the elevator. At the same time, Viktor appeared behind him and struck. Konstantin placed a drug soaked cloth to the face of the girl and dragged her to the limo. Everything was going according to plan. The brothers concentrated on beating the bodyguard, who was struggling more than they expected, but no matter, the situation was under control and they would soon be gone without a trace.   
  
.  
  
Alexis managed to disentangle herself from Sonny within the two minutes she had promised Kristina. She was now in the elevator, with Johnny at her side and her 'game face' on, ready for a girls' night out. She knew Kristina intended to get her drunk in the hopes that she would spill something about her relationship with Sonny, but she wasn't worried. Being tight-lipped was part of her nature. Alcohol wouldn't change it. She was confident she could drink her little sister under the table and still hold onto all of her secrets. In fact she was looking forward to the contest. She could think of only one thing that might spoil their night.   
  
"Johnny do you know if Luke will be in tonight? I'd rather not have to deal with him. I wish he didn't own the only decent blues club in this city."   
  
Johnny tried not to stare. No business suit tonight, Ms Davis was wearing a form fitting top that displayed her assets. And that black leather skirt just drew your eyes to long legs that ended in... oh my... stiletto heels. She must have let Kristina dress her again. "I haven't seen him there lately, but don't worry. If he tries to disturb you, I'll take care of it."   
  
"Johnny you're a dear." She touched his shoulder. "Would you like to come work for me? I'd be a much nicer boss than Sonny. I don't yell near as much..."   
  
The elevator doors opened to the parking garage. They walked into the middle of a melee. There was a vicious struggle going on in front of Sonny's limo. Three strangers were abducting her sister. One man was dragging an unconscious Kristina toward the open passenger door of the limo. The other two were kicking a prone Max. Adam, the driver, was slumped against the car, blood flowing from a wound in his side. "Stay here!" Johnny pushed Alexis back into the elevator and slammed the 'Close Door' button. He ran toward the man who held Kristina. The elevator doors closed on Alexis. Someone was attacking Kristina! Things were happening fast, too fast. She knew any help she could summon, would arrive too late. She immediately pushed the 'Open Door' button. When the doors opened again, Kristina lay on the ground and Johnny was struggling with her attacker. One of the two men who were kicking Max moved toward Johnny. He held a knife.   
  
Alexis didn't hesitate. She bolted out of the elevator and jumped on his back, gouging at his eyes. With little effort he threw her across the parking garage. She skidded across the floor and came to a stop at the elevator. She had been literally thrown out of her shoes. The man headed back toward Johnny, his arm cocked, ready to slash. She needed a weapon. She saw the 4-inch stilettos on the ground. Grabbing a shoe she attacked the only exposed skin she could find. The heel drove 3 inches into his neck. The man's arm slashed down, cutting Johnny's forearm. Johnny turned to see his attacker jerk back as Alexis yanked the shoe hard. She ripped his throat out. With the shoe now free, Alexis moved to the man who was kicking Max. He was so focused on his work, he didn't notice her approach. Again she attacked the only vulnerable spot available. She drove the heel deep into his neck, then pulled it straight out. There was a fountain of blood and he collapsed near Max. The third attacker took in the bloodbath, cursed in Russian and fled.   
  
Johnny scanned the parking garage for more attackers. It looked as if the danger had passed. He checked Kristina. She was unconscious, but her pulse was strong and her breathing even. Max was groaning and struggling to get up.   
  
"Alexis, are you okay?"   
  
"This cannot happen again." Alexis was shaking, but very much in control. She quickly moved to Adam and pressed her hand over his wound. "Johnny we need to get to a hospital now. Get Kristina and Max into the limo, then come help me with Adam."   
  
They took the limo to the hospital, Johnny driving, with Alexis in back holding Adam's life in her hands.   
  
"Call ahead to GH and tell them we're coming." Alexis was hopeful. Adam's breathing was steady and the bleeding seemed to be under control. Kristina was unconscious, but probably unhurt and Max's groans and curses indicated that he was not in immediate danger. She had some time to consider the consequences of the night. This situation could get very messy. The police were going to be involved. Alexis gave Johnny a phone number to call.   
  
"It's ringing Ms Davis."   
  
"Good. Ask for Ms Fleming Goeffin. Tell her Alexis Davis needs a favor."   
  
"Yes ma'am, may I ask who this Ms Goeffin is?"   
  
"She's our lawyer, Johnny. There are going to be a lot of questions at the hospital. Until she arrives, keep to this story. We interrupted a kidnaping. There was a struggle. Your attacker fled. We came to the hospital. Don't say anything more until you speak with Ms Goeffin."   
  
"Yes ma'am."   
  
"And Johnny, we need to call Sonny and Ned." 


	12. Chapter 12 of 24

The doors to the ER at General Hospital flew open. Sonny rushed in, with Francis close behind, carrying a briefcase. He scanned the area and quickly found Johnny.   
  
"Where is she, Johnny?" Sonny was struggling for control. He was sick with worry over Alexis, yet he had to maintain the facade of being only her client and friend.   
  
"She's okay, the doctor is checking her out, but she's fine." Johnny knew Sonny needed reassurance, but he needed to know the truth of what happened too, all of it. "Boss she saved my life, Max and Adam's too."   
  
"What happened?"   
  
"Helena Cassadine happened." Johnny quickly filled in the details. Sonny blanched when Johnny described how Alexis had dispatched the two men.   
  
"Are you sure Alexis is all right?" Alexis killed two men tonight, in a manner horribly similar to her mother's murder. She couldn't be all right.   
  
"Boss she was a rock." Johnny's admiration for Alexis was growing by the minute. She was kind and classy, and she had just proven herself in the worst kind of crisis. "I'd have her at my back in a fight anytime. She keeps a cool head. She kept Adam alive until we got here and she's already got another lawyer coming in to take care of the police."   
  
"Good, that's good." Alexis was truly amazing, but Sonny doubted that she was all right. The crisis was ending. The reality of what she was forced to do would hit her and everything would soon come crashing down. He needed to see her. He heard the door open and turned to see Dr. Jones exit the room.   
  
"How is she?"   
  
"Physically they're both fine. We just need to watch Kristina until the drugs wear off . . ."   
  
Sonny reached for the briefcase Francis held and brushed past Tony into Alexis' room. Johnny and Francis closed the door behind him and stood shoulder to shoulder in front of it. As Sonny entered, he saw Kristina laying in the hospital bed. She looked as if she were sleeping. Alexis sat at her side, a set of hospital scrubs clutched to her chest. Her body rocked gently as she stared at her sister. Sonny approached slowly.   
  
"Alexis?"   
  
She stopped rocking but continued to watch Kristina. She held out the scrubs. She looked detached. "Tony gave me these. He said I might need them."   
  
"It was nice of him to give you a change of clothes."  
  
  
  
"A change of clothes, why would he . . . ? " She looked down at herself and paled. There was dried blood everywhere. It was spattered on her face, arms and legs. The silk blouse they were so careful with earlier in the evening was half covered with it, as was her skirt. "Oh god . . . " She felt sick.   
  
Sonny closed the distance between them and took her in his arms. "Alexis it's okay. It's gonna be okay." He kissed her softly then held her face in his hands. "Stay here. I'll be right back." He moved quickly to the bathroom and returned with a damp towel. He gently guided her back to the chair. "Let me take care of you." Whispering soft words of comfort, he knelt before her gently wiping her face, arms, and legs, removing all traces of the blood. "Stand up honey, let's get these clothes off you. I brought you something to wear." He opened the briefcase and placed a set of clothes and a pair of shoes on the end of the bed. He gently helped her rid herself of the bloodstained outfit. He put all the discarded clothes in the briefcase. He added the now blood-soaked towel and locked it. He then helped her into a gun metal blue power suit. The clean clothes seemed to renew her spirit. Color was returning to her cheeks.   
  
They stood next to Kristina's bed, his hands resting on her shoulders, rubbing them gently. She stared into his chest, her hands at his waist. She tried to tear her mind away from the memory of what she'd done. "Tony says Kristina is going to be fine. He still needs to check some test results, but he expects no problems. I'm waiting for her to wake up." Her voice was quiet and even, but she was distant. "Adam and Max are doing well?"   
  
"Yeah, they're gonna be okay. Johnny said you saved them all." He touched her cheek and smiled. "You control them now, you know? They adored you before, but now they owe you, big time. They won't be able to refuse you anything."   
  
She smiled sadly and looked up at him. Her mind was still in the parking garage. "The other two men, they're dead, aren't they?" She knew they were. She just didn't want it to be true.   
  
"Yeah, I think so. We'll never know for sure though. The parking garage was clean when Francis and I got there. Helena cleans up her messes."   
  
Anger flared in her eyes. "She attacked my sister! She went after Kristina!" Her body began to shake. Sonny quickly pulled her into an embrace. He picked her up and carried her to the chair, holding her shivering frame like a child.   
  
"Shh, it's okay. Kristina's safe now. You're safe now. Everything will be okay." He would make it sure of it. He rocked her, gently rubbing her back. He would do whatever it took to make her safe.   
  
Kristina heard voices in the darkness. She struggled to open her eyes. Her vision was blurry. She blinked several times to clear it, until finally she could see. She found herself in what was obviously a hospital room. She tried to get her bearings, and scanned the room until her eyes came to rest on the big easy chair to the left of her bed. Sonny Corinthos was sitting there with Alexis cradled in his arms. Alexis looked so small, and Sonny so protective. There was an aura of healing engulfing them both. Something bad must have happened.   
  
She closed her eyes and tried to think. What had happened? She remembered that they were going to go to Lukes. Alexis was delayed, so she and Max were going to meet her at the car. Kristina had laughed at Max's look of horror, when she told him she wanted him to break down Sonny's door, if Alexis took too long. The elevator doors opened and she remembered seeing Adam open the door to the limo. Then men rushed out of the darkness. They attacked Adam, then Max. Both men fell to the concrete floor. She felt something over her mouth. She couldn't breathe, then darkness.   
  
Her eyes returned to the couple in the chair. Alexis' head was on Sonny's chest, her arms folded around herself. His head bent low to cover hers, touching her hair. He rocked her side to side, occasionally kissing her softly. They were so tender together, and totally unaware that she was awake. Something must have happened to Alexis too. Her sister wouldn't be in Sonny's arms like this, in a public place, unless she absolutely needed it. They were cautious people. Even if they thought she was unconscious, they wouldn't risk it. She watched them silently for several minutes. Just sitting together, saying nothing, they were nourishing each others' souls. Clearly they belonged together, yet they felt the need to hide it. After tonight, Kristina was beginning to understand why.   
  
"I don't care what Mr. Corinthos wants! I want to see Kristina and Alexis, now!" Ned was trying to push his way into the room.   
  
Alexis jumped at the sounds. She quickly left Sonny's arms and rose from the chair. He rose with her, his hands never losing contact with her. She began to smooth her clothes, pulling herself together. Sonny turned to face her and held her face in his hands. Concern filled his eyes.   
  
"Are you sure you're up to this? You don't have to see Ashton. Johnny and Francis won't let him in until you're ready."   
  
"No, Ned needs to see Kristina. He has to see she's okay. I'm fine. I'll be fine."   
  
"You're sure?" She took a deep breath and nodded. "Okay" He pulled her close and kissed her. "I love you. Remember, 'game face' Ms Davis" He smiled and released her, then moved to stand behind her, his hands clasped at his back. "Let Mr. Ashton in please."   
  
Kristina closed her eyes as Ned pushed into the room. His gaze immediately found her. She looked unhurt and appeared to be sleeping.   
  
"How is she?"   
  
"Tony says she'll be fine. They're just waiting for the drugs to wear off, then she'll be released." Alexis was all business, but Ned wasn't buying it. He knew her well enough to detect the self-protection mode she was showing him.   
  
"How are you, Alexis?" His eyes studied her.   
  
"I'm fine. I just have some bruises, nothing to worry about."   
  
"I don't think you're fine Alexis. How are you really?" He took a step toward her. She stepped back.   
  
Sonny didn't like Ned pushing Alexis. Ashton never let her experience things on her terms. He would push her to talk, because of his need to know. It didn't matter that she wasn't ready. He didn't know or care, what his pushing did to Alexis. It amazed Sonny that Ashton had been engaged to this woman, yet he still had no clue of what she needed or when to back off.   
  
"She's fine Ned. Leave it alone." Sonny tried to keep his voice even.   
  
Ned looked past Alexis to Sonny. "Why are you even here Corinthos? Are you feeling guilty? Did some of your 'business associates' do this? Is your 'business' the reason Kristina is here? It's bad enough Alexis chose to put herself in danger, but now you've hurt Kristina. Why don't you do us all a favor and just leave? Leave town, leave the state, better yet leave the country, go away and don't come back. We'd all be better off."   
  
"Ned stop it, now!" Alexis was angry. He had no right. "This has nothing to do with Sonny. Helena did this! If it weren't for Sonny and the protection he provided, Kristina would be kidnaped, maybe dead." The reality of her words hit her and her voice faltered. Sonny secretly placed his hand on the small of her back to support her. "Max and Adam were almost killed tonight."   
  
"Protection!" Ned didn't want to hear any defense of Sonny Corinthos. "What kind of protection allows this to happen at all?" Ned's eyes never left Sonny. They were filled with loathing. "Why don't you just deal with her Corinthos? Take care of Helena like you take care of all your enemies. You're the big mob boss. Make her disappear."   
  
"Are you asking me to murder someone for you, Ashton?" Sonny's eyes grew cold. Ashton was a hypocrite. He looked down on Sonny as criminal, yet he was trying to manipulate him into committing murder. "Do you want to take a contract out on Helena? Is that a serious request, rich boy?" Sonny cocked his head and gave him a frigid smile. "Tell me, NED, how far would you go to protect the people you love?"   
  
"All right that's enough!" Alexis grabbed Ned's hand and headed for the door. She looked back at Sonny. "You, stay here!" She dragged Ned out of the room.   
  
Kristina opened her eyes again to see Sonny sigh heavily and seat himself in the chair. She turned her head to him.   
  
"Do you think she knows she's not wearing shoes?" 


	13. Chapter 13 of 24

A wave of dizziness hit Kristina as she tried to move. She groaned, but succeeded in sitting up. She pointed to the sensible shoes that sat on the end of the bed.   
  
"She never put on her shoes."   
  
"How long have you been awake? "  
  
"Long enough to know Helena is responsible for me being here, although I'm not quite sure what exactly happened. Can you tell me what happened, Sonny?"   
  
Kristina had never shown the ability to keep her mouth shut, so Sonny was not about to let her know the full extent of what had been done to keep her safe. The police still had to be dealt with. They didn't need to know Alexis had killed two people tonight. No one had to know.   
  
"Helena tried to have you kidnaped tonight. She sent three men to abduct you. They didn't succeed."   
  
"Max and Adam, are they really okay?"  
  
"They will be."   
  
"And Helena, she planned to kill me?"   
  
Kristina couldn't believe someone would actually want her dead. Sonny wouldn't sugar-coat the situation for her. Up until now she had been shielded from Helena. It was important that she understand just how serious this all was.   
  
"Eventually, but I doubt she'd have killed you right away. Helena likes to play with her prey, and she loves to torture Alexis. She probably planned to torture you both."   
  
The implications of Sonny's words hit her hard. She shuddered. She thought back on all the conversations she had with Alexis and it finally all clicked into place. This was why Alexis had advised her not to announce herself as a Cassadine. When she did, Kristina made herself a target. Stefan promised to protect her, but how many times had he failed to protect Alexis. It seemed nobody could stop Helena when she set her sights on you. And she seemed to continually set her sights on the people Alexis loved. Alexis loved Sonny.   
  
"This is why you two are hiding that you're together now? Alexis doesn't want Helena to know that you're in love."   
  
Sonny let out a deep breath. "You were awake before Ned came in. You saw us."   
  
She nodded. "Yeah, but it just confirmed what I already knew."   
  
Kristina already knew. How transparent were they? Could everyone tell? "What tipped you off?"   
  
"Lots of things, you two have an aura." Sonny couldn't suppress the pained expression that crossed his face. "Don't laugh. You positively glow when you're together. And there's this connection between you. You're very tactile. Even when you're not touching each other you're still touching each other, you know?"   
  
Sonny smiled politely, nodding his head, but his eyes were glazing over. "Kristina, I have to be honest. I don't understand half of what you say on a good day. Today, I understand even less."   
  
She sighed deeply. She wanted to hit him up side the head. He was so clueless. They both were. "It's simple. You're both happy when you're together, not just happy, blissful. It was so obvious when I came home. But the clincher was the music." She gave him a huge smile and began to sing softly. "Honey, honey come and dance with me" His cheeks flushed and he looked away. "You went off the playlist, didn't you?" She teased him with accusations. "You went off it big time!"   
  
He looked up. "How do you know that?"   
  
"That computer is not a jukebox, Sonny. It was designed for music industry professionals. It has an archive feature. I know every song it played, and in what order, for the last two months. You went off the playlist." Her eyebrows danced as she continued her gentle teasing. "You loaded the special playlist I made for Alexis, didn't you?"   
  
Sonny twisted his head and grimaced. He was busted. He didn't know what to say. What could he say?   
  
"Kristina . . . Thank you."   
  
.  
  
.  
  
.  
  
Alexis dragged Ned out the door and about 20 feet down a little used corridor. Johnny immediately followed and positioned himself a discreet distance away. No one would disturb them.   
  
"Why am I out here and that . . . that gangster is still in with Kristina?"   
  
"Because you're the one, who could be charged with conspiracy to commit murder!" She hissed.   
  
"What!"   
  
"You asked Sonny to kill Helena. You don't make that kind of suggestion to a man with Sonny's reputation, Ned. People take those words seriously."   
  
"I didn't mean it like that."   
  
"Didn't you, Ned?" Alexis knew Ned well. She understood how his cut-throat business mind worked. her eyes met his, demanding honesty. "If you could goad Sonny into doing something, it would solve a lot of problems for you. Helena would be gone. Kristina would be safe and if you were lucky maybe Sonny would go to prison for murder. Wouldn't that be a bonus?"   
  
Ned looked into Alexis eyes and sighed. He wouldn't even try to lie. "Well I'll be honest with you, Alexis. I don't see a downside to the deal."   
  
"The downside is you just asked Sonny to commit murder in front of witnesses! You'd be just as guilty as Sonny. What if Kristina were conscious? You know she can't keep her thoughts in her head. There's no censor between her brain and her mouth! Sooner or later she would tell someone what she heard. What are you going to do when the police knock on your door. What are you going to do when they arrest you? You can't hire me. I'm Sonny's lawyer."   
  
"Well I was engaged to a lawyer once and I learned some things from her. Kristina's not conscious. You won't talk. I won't talk. Sonny certainly won't talk and I haven't offered him any money. I wouldn't be convicted, Alexis. Look, eliminating people is part of Sonny's business. He does it for money all the time, why can't he do it for you?"   
  
Ned could be so callus. He thought of Sonny as an unfeeling killer, yet Sonny would never speak of murder so casually. Sonny understood the price you pay when you take a life. "First of all, Sonny doesn't eliminate people for money. Second, you have no idea what you just asked of him. You don't know the toll that taking a life can have. No matter how justified, killing weighs on you. It's a burden you can't put down and it never leaves you."   
  
Ned studied Alexis. She seemed to be speaking from experience. "Alexis, how do you know this?"   
  
Alexis' voice grew weary. "Ned, I don't want Sonny to take care of Helena. I don't want you to take care of Helena. She's not worth the price." They were interrupted by a familiar voice down the hallway.   
  
"Well, well, well, Johnny, just the man I'm looking for." Marcus Taggert was marching straight for Johnny. The police had arrived. Things were about to get messy. 


	14. Chapter 14 of 24

Lieutenant Marcus Taggert pushed his face within inches of Johnny. His dark, chiseled, features held a predatory smile. "You're the guy who's gonna to tell me all about what happened tonight, and just how your boss is mixed up in all this." He was in a good mood. He was finally going to be able to conduct an investigation without Corinthos' lawyer interfering. He glanced over Johnny's shoulder at Ned and Alexis. "Don't go bothering Ms Davis. She can't represent you. Conflict of interest and all that. But don't worry, we've got a public defender waiting for you at the station house. You'll be his first case. He's very excited." Taggert was almost laughing as he pulled Johnny by his bandaged arm.   
  
"I don't think you'll be taking my client anywhere!"   
  
Lieutenant Taggert turned and discovered a business card two inches in front of his nose. He blinked and read the card, irritation evident in his voice. "Fleming Go-effin, Attorney at Law?" The card dropped and he looked up into the dark eyes of an intense, tall woman.   
  
"It's pronounced 'Geffin' lieutenant." Snapping the card away, she turned to Johnny.   
  
"You must be Johnny. Fleming Goeffin, we spoke on the phone. It's a pleasure to meet you in person. Is the good lieutenant harassing you?" She extended her hand to Johnny.   
  
Johnny took her hand and stared at the beautiful black haired woman before him. She was a force to be reckoned with. She was tall. Johnny calculated that she was at least 5'9" in her bare feet. But unlike Alexis, she wasn't in her bare feet. The heels she wore added at least three more inches to her height. Lieutenant Taggert found himself in the unusual position of having to look up to a woman. Her height was imposing enough, but her physique was overpowering. She wasn't a thin wisp. Her gorgeous curves were well muscled. This woman worked out. Johnny didn't doubt she could snap Taggert's arm like a twig if she wanted. And she had a look that said she had entertained the thought. Johnny liked her.   
  
"Don't worry Johnny, you're not going anywhere you don't want to go tonight."   
  
She looked Johnny up and down. The bodyguard wasn't tall but he was buff. He looked so delicious. She could almost eat him up! 'Keep your mind on business, Fleming. You're here for Alexis. Other pursuits can wait until later.' She turned attention back to lieutenant Taggert, looking down at him with disdain. He was trying hard to regain some control over the situation.   
  
"Now wait a minute. Wait just a damn minute here! I have some questions for this man and I'm gonna take him down to the station and get some answers." His bellowing didn't phase her at all.   
  
"Excuse me lieutenant, is my client charged with a crime? If I'm not mistaken, he is one of the victims here. Is it customary for the PCPD to treat the victims of crimes like criminals?"   
  
Taggert didn't like this woman at all. She was even more overbearing than Ms Davis. He prayed she wasn't half as smart. "This man is a witness to an attempted kidnaping. I need a statement from him. I need statements from all of them." He tried to assert physical dominance by pushing his face into hers.   
  
"You will get written statements as soon as possible lieutenant." Unaffected by his close proximity, she smiled sweetly and reached up to Taggert's face. Johnny's mouth dropped. Did she just pinch him? She did! His new lawyer just reached out, grabbed Taggert's cheek and gave him a pinch. Johnny suppressed a grin. He really liked this woman!   
  
"Fleming! Good to see you again." Alexis called as she walked the length of the hall, with Ned in tow. Fleming and Johnny moved to meet them, leaving lieutenant Taggert, dazed in their wake. The two women hugged. Alexis looked up at her old friend. She looked a long way up, and frowned. Her neck was straining as she made eye contact. "Fleming I know you're taller than I am, but I don't remember you being this much taller."   
  
"Alexis" Fleming tilted her head down and spied Alexis' feet. She signaled Alexis to follow her gaze. "You're barefoot."   
  
Alexis looked down. "I'm barefoot?" Fleming nodded, smiling. "I'm barefoot! Well that explains it doesn't it."   
  
"Yes it does!" Fleming was trying not to laugh. Ned and Johnny were both smiling. Alexis felt her cheeks flush. It was time to change the subject.   
  
"Well, I see you've met Johnny." Alexis turned, pointing to her left. "This is Ned Ashton. Ned, this is an old friend of mine, Fleming Goeffin."   
  
Ned smiled at Fleming and extended his hand. "Good to see you again." He turned back to Alexis. "Actually, we met on the helicopter. Although I didn't know she came to Port Charles at your request, Alexis."   
  
"You took a helicopter? You own a helicopter!" Alexis was astonished.   
  
Fleming nodded with a single dip of her head. "You said you needed a favor. I thought it was important that I get here fast."   
  
"How did you know to bring Ned?"   
  
"I didn't. I was getting ready to leave and he came rushing into the airport demanding immediate transportation to Port Charles. He was terribly rude, but he IS the EX-FIANCEE, Ned Ashton, right?"   
  
"Yep!" Alexis was beginning to relax. She had total confidence in Fleming. Her presence on the scene, removed a lot of stress from the whole situation.   
  
"Well I didn't think it was a coincidence that you needed me here and Mr. Ashton also needed to be here at the same time. I thought it couldn't hurt and might help. So I offered him a lift!"   
  
"Fleming, you truly are the goddess you always claim to be!"   
  
"Did you ever doubt it?" She laughed and Alexis did too.   
  
Johnny was happy to see Alexis laugh. After tonight he wasn't sure, he would see that sight for a long time, yet Ms Goeffin had her laughing within minutes of their meeting. He knew Alexis wouldn't get over what happened, immediately. Hell, he wasn't going to get over the events in the parking garage anytime soon, but Alexis was laughing and that was a good start. He really, really liked this Fleming Goeffin!   
  
"Alexis, we need to get down to business. I need to talk to you."   
  
"You're right. We do need to talk, but not tonight. Tonight I have to deal with some other things. Johnny will tell you everything you need to know and I'll see you tomorrow."   
  
"Oh, it's just me and Johnny tonight, alone?" She looked at Johnny with a appreciative grin.   
  
Johnny returned her gaze and found himself grinning back. Alexis caught the exchange. She had seen this before and even though Johnny looked willing...   
  
"Fleming!"   
  
"What Alexis?" She still had Johnny in her sites and Johnny seemed to like being there.   
  
"You came here for business remember?" Alexis jabbed her arm and Fleming finally turned her gaze from Johnny.   
  
"Alexis, I will be all business, until all business is done. Don't worry."   
  
"That's why I called you. With you here, I won't have to worry."   
  
Fleming silently accepted the compliment. She planned to justify her friend's total confidence in her. "Come on Johnny we've got a lot of work ahead of us tonight."  
  
Fleming started walking down the hallway. Johnny didn't follow. As much as the thought of going with this woman appealed to him, he hesitated to leave Alexis.   
  
"Go ahead Johnny. Sonny is here. Francis is here. I'll be fine. Go with Fleming and answer all of her questions." Alexis touched his arm and caught his eye. "Johnny, tell her everything." 


	15. Chapter 15 of 24

Sonny was truly amazed. He was actually having a pleasant conversation with Kristina. She was sitting cross-legged in bed, chatting with him, showing no ill effects from the drugs she'd been exposed to. She had stopped her usual long, incomprehensible rambles, and over the course of long conversations she settled into a rhythm of short coherent sentences. He found he enjoyed spending time with her. He didn't even mind that Kristina was a vicious tease.   
  
"So you liked the music?" It was a loaded question. She leaned forward, studying his face, looking for ammunition to tease him. Sonny knew she'd have a follow up that would involve embarrassment on his part. He needed to answer her question carefully.   
  
"The music was..." He thought of saying 'fine', Alexis' favorite word of deflection, but he decided to take a slightly different tack. "The music was tolerable." He smiled slightly, and gave her a small nod.   
  
"Ha!" She sat back and flashed a monstrous grin. He was mimicking her sister. He had her down too, the tiny smile, the nod, the total refusal to acknowledge the truth! She decided to attack. "Tolerable my ass! I know you loved #36. You found it much more than tolerable, NUDGE NUDGE, WINK WINK!" She elbowed him, as she did her best Monty Python.   
  
"#36? I don't think I know which one that is." He feigned ignorance, still trying to mimic Alexis. It was his favorite song these days. It was their favorite song. He kept his eyes down, trying not to laugh.   
  
"Oh yes you do. You know it... 'Honey, honey come and dance with me'." She sang in a sweet clear voice. "You repeated it for 2 hours straight last night." She gave him a teasing eye. "Alexis must really like to dance."   
  
Sonny closed his eyes and smiled, remembering the previous night. From the beginning, the night had been one long, glorious dance. She had initiated it, by teasing him at dinner. She sat across the table, with mischief in her eyes and questioned his criminal ethics. He expertly danced around the subject, claiming to be a legitimate businessman. He rounded the table to stand above her, dimples dazzling. She countered, rising to his eye level, a wicked smile on her face. 'A legitimate businessman with an accountant who keeps, god knows how many sets of books. A legitimate businessman who is feared through out the northeast, with bodyguards, and 9 casinos in 3 countries, none of which have extradition treaties with the US.' With laughter in her eyes, she accused him of being a very bad man. He pulled her into his arms. 'You like bad men.' They danced. First he led. As they stepped across the room, he expertly twirled her under his outstretched arm. Then she led, pushing him back across the floor toward the couch. They began to kiss, their tongues exchanging the roles of lead and follow, as they danced in each others mouths. Then, as they stripped each other of their clothes, they danced some more.   
  
Kristina watched as Sonny sat smiling. He was obviously somewhere else. From the look of him, it was a very good place. "Sonny?"   
  
He opened his eyes, his smile growing. "Alexis likes a dance."   
  
Kristina saw the absolute delight on his face. All thoughts of teasing left her. "She loves you very much."   
  
"I know." His face fell, and a hint of sadness appeared. Kristina silently questioned him. He was quiet for a moment and then sighed. "She's never said the words. She holds onto them... It's like they're the key to a magic spell, keeping me safe."   
  
"Helena takes away everyone she loves."   
  
Sonny nodded and looked away. Not any more, he knew a way to stop Helena. It wouldn't be easy and Alexis wouldn't like it. If she found out exactly what he was contemplating, she would probably leave him. She might even hate him, but he wouldn't let Helena hurt her again. He would keep her safe even if it meant losing her.   
  
.  
  
.  
  
.  
  
It was a beautiful, warm evening. The seas were calm as Andreas walked the deck of the Cassadine yacht with Helena. She was in good spirits. He was grateful. He had suffered mightily through her ill moods, as she struggled with her illness. But her recovery now was complete, and she was back at full strength. He was grateful for her recovery, but it was a double-edged sword. Now that she was healthy, she was more demanding of him and everyone she employed. She was intolerant too. The smallest mistake caused her great displeasure and her displeasure had dire consequences. So far Andreas had managed to keep madame pleased. He thanked the gods for those little blue pills.   
  
Helena paused at the railing and peered out across the tranquil waters. In the distance, the lights of a small boat could be seen approaching the yacht. She was expecting a visitor. Earlier in the evening she sent Konstantin to deliver an invitation to her newest stepdaughter. She now anxiously awaited the arrival of Kristina Cassadine. It was late so she wouldn't tax the dear child. If everything were timed correctly, and she knew it would be, Konstantin was nothing if not meticulous about timing, the misbegotten child should be just regaining consciousness. There were no activities planned for this evening. Kristina would be in no shape for what she had devised for her. No, she would give the foolish child a short but proper welcome to the family, Cassadine. The rest could wait until morning. Making Kristina wait would be part of the fun. She'd feed her fears with a preview of coming events, then leave her to contemplate her fate in confinement. Tonight should be a pleasant cap to a beautiful day.   
  
As the boat approached, she counted the occupants. Something was amiss. There should be three men and one body, instead she counted two bodies and one man. Kristina was nowhere to be seen. Helena was displeased. Andreas saw her mood swing. He gave a knowing nod to the men who were assembled to help unload what was supposed to be a semiconscious Kristina. They silently understood his meaning. They continued their work, but prepared to do Helena's bidding. Konstantin climbed the ladder to the yacht as two men descended to dispose of the bodies. Two others remained. They fell into step behind him, as he presented himself to Helena.   
  
"Konstantin I do not see my lovely stepdaughter. Where is she?"   
  
Helena's voice was sweet and her manner pleasant. She smiled as she spoke, but the smile didn't touch her eyes. Konstantin noted this but he didn't worry. Her smile never touched her eyes. She was perhaps the coldest woman he'd ever encountered. It was one of the things he liked about her. She would be upset at his failure but he would control her anger. He always had in the past.   
  
"Madame Cassadine, something unforeseen has occurred. It seems you did not tell me how fierce the older one could be. She disrupted everything. We were unable to take the young one."   
  
"Alexis stopped you?" Helena was incredulous. "Impossible! That insignificant girl couldn't. She is too weak. She won't even defend herself."   
  
"Apparently she will defend her sister. Madame, this unarmed woman killed Viktor and Vasily!" Konstantin made a grave error. He actually had admiration for Alexis' defense of her sister. That admiration showed as he explained why he had to abandon the kidnaping attempt. He also contradicted Helena's view of Alexis. He disagreed with her. He failed her. He displeased her. She smiled at him one final time.   
  
"Konstantin, we have had a long and prosperous relationship. I will miss you." Helena nodded to her escort. Andreas nodded to the two men on either side of Konstantin.   
  
About 500 yards off the Cassadine yacht a second boat was anchored. Two men watched, using nightscopes, as one, then two and finally three bodies were thrown into the sea. One of the men picked up a cell phone.   
  
"Benny, tell Mr. Corinthos we have some interesting news." 


	16. Chapter 16 of 24

"Why didn't anyone tell me I wasn't wearing any shoes?"   
  
Alexis looked back at Sonny as they entered penthouse two. He locked the door and tossed the keys on the nearby desk. Soft music played. Guitar and saxophone gently dueled in discourse, filling the night with sweet sounds. They walked, hand in hand to the couch. Sonny sat, pulling Alexis down next to him. He put a protective arm around her shoulder as she nestled against his chest.   
  
"I didn't notice that you weren't wearing shoes. Kristina did. She's very observant."   
  
Alexis heard the double meaning in his words. "What do you mean she's very observant?" She pulled away and looked at Sonny. He gave her a 'you know what I mean' look. Alexis sighed. "She knows doesn't she?"   
  
Kristina was spending the night in the hospital. She kicked them both out, claiming she wanted some private time with Ned. In fact she had entered into a silent conspiracy with Sonny. She would be spending little time in the penthouse in the near future. She planned to give Alexis and Sonny their privacy. Sonny was developing a genuine affection for the girl.   
  
"Yes. She woke up before Ned came."   
  
"Before Ned came?"   
  
"Way before Ned came."   
  
"So she saw . . . "   
  
"Pretty much everything after . . . "   
  
"Not all the blood! Please tell me she didn't see that."   
  
"No! No, not the blood, she knows very little about what happened tonight. She knows only that three of Helena's men tried and failed to abduct her."   
  
"She doesn't know about those two men, about what I did?"   
  
"No. Only Johnny and I know. Alexis, I don't think we should tell the police about that. There's no evidence of their deaths and I don't want to give Taggert an excuse to go after you."   
  
"I suppose my clothes have disappeared too?"   
  
"They must have been lost in the confusion at the hospital." Sonny practiced the line he planned to give the police.   
  
"Yeah, I bet. Sonny I don't know about this."   
  
"Alexis what are you going to do? Go to the cops and tell them you killed two professional hit men with your shoe! There are no bodies. The parking garage is clean. Helena made sure of it. They'll think you're delusional or they might try to arrest you. I can't take that chance. You mean too much to me."   
  
"Sonny, I am an officer of the court and . . . "   
  
"And what happened tonight was outside the law and you know it. There will be no justice in the courts for what happened tonight. The only justice possible, was the justice you delivered. And you were justified, Alexis. You couldn't have done anything else."   
  
Alexis looked away. She was drained, physically and emotionally. She was too tired to make any significant decisions. "I don't want to talk about this anymore. I can't think about this tonight." She laid her head on his chest. "Just hold me please."   
  
"I'll do better than that. Come with me." He pulled her from the couch and with his arms surrounding her, led her upstairs.   
  
.  
  
.  
  
.  
  
Alexis smiled as the warm water caressed her skin. It seemed Sonny always knew just what she needed. The bath was perfect. Sonny knelt, bare chested, beside the tub and gently washed away the pain and horror of the night. He had to be careful of her back. She misled everyone at the hospital. She wasn't fine, physically. Her back and elbows were covered with scrapes and bruises, the result of being thrown across the parking garage.   
  
"Why didn't you tell me you were hurt? Did the doctor look at this?" He squeezed the washcloth, letting drops of water tickle her.   
  
"I don't like doctors. I'm not really hurt. It's just some scrapes. I'm fine."   
  
"Honey, you don't value yourself enough. You're too busy caring for everyone else. It's okay to let other people take care of you. Let me take care of you." He tenderly brushed the warm, wet cloth across her back, then trailed soft kisses behind it, erasing any pain with the pleasure of his touch.   
  
"If you really want to take care of me. Join me." She gently pulled his arm.   
  
"No you join me."   
  
He pulled her up, gently wrapped her in a fluffy towel and kissed her softly. She threaded her fingers through his hair and escalated the kiss. Never breaking the kiss, she drew him to her bed. The towel dropped and she pulled him on top of her, as she fell back on the bed. She gave a small cry of pain as her tender back hit the mattress, but continued to kiss him passionately. Sonny quickly rolled them over, so he bore the weight of them both.   
  
"No more pain for you tonight. I'll take care of you. I'll take care of everything."   
  
.  
  
.  
  
.  
  
The sounds of a lone guitar filled the penthouse as Sonny, wearing black silk pajama bottoms, padded down the stairs, to find Alexis, seated on cushions by the fireplace, clad in his pajama top. He stopped at the bottom of the staircase and watched as she stared into the flames.   
  
Alexis found sleep difficult tonight. She had killed again. Add two more bodies to her toll. Sonny was the one considered a cold-blooded killer, but she wondered if his personal body count was as high as hers. Her head fell, weighed down by the burden of her actions. Her mind could not shed the events in the garage. She had killed tonight, but what else could she have done? She had to keep the people she loved safe. If she hadn't done what she'd done, if she hadn't killed those men, Kristina would be Helena's hands now. And what of Johnny, Max and Adam? It was a sure bet Adam would have died. He would have bled to death, just like Christian, exactly like Christian. Helena was nothing if not consistent. She loved the bloody kill. She slit her mother's throat. She had Christian and Adam stabbed. Max and Johnny would have probably met the same fate. She shuddered. There was nothing else she could have done. Helena exacted a high price for the safety of her loved ones. What else would be required of her to keep them safe in the future?   
  
**** Tables turned again   
  
On you my friend   
  
You and I face each other   
  
Oh time and time out   
  
"I missed you." Sonny stood in front of the fire.   
  
She reached for his hand and drew him down to a cushion beside her. "I couldn't sleep and I didn't want to disturb you." Her gaze returned to the fire.   
  
"You couldn't disturb me. If you're having trouble sleeping I want to help." He put his arms around her and careful of her tender back gave her a gentle squeeze.   
  
"This helps. You being here helps." She nuzzled against his chest. They gazed at the twisting flames.   
  
I know it's sometimes hard   
  
But knowing just all   
  
That we will get along 'til we are old and gray   
  
And huddled up and doubled up   
  
"I want that, you know. For us to be together til we're old and gray." Sonny took her hand in his and traced his thumb along her palm. He smiled. "I want to massage your arthritic feet in the old folks home."   
  
Alexis looked up with a half dimpled smile. Again he was able to pull her away from dark thoughts. "You do? Where will we live, 'The Old Mobster's Home'? Where old gangsters go to spend their ill gotten gains in quiet solitude?" Her tiny laugh tickled his chest.   
  
"Yeah, if you want, or we could move to 'Ancient Attorney Acres', where all the really good mob lawyers go to spend their final days."   
  
"'Ancient Attorney Acres?"   
  
"Yeah, we'll go dancing every Friday night at the rec center. I'll make inappropriate passes at you, in front of all the self-righteous retirees." He grinned wickedly and whispered in her ear. "I'll grab your ass and maybe even cop a feel, right there on the dance floor."   
  
Her dimples blazed. "That would be scandalous. They all would be so shocked at your bold advances in such a staid venue."   
  
"Shocked and jealous, cuz they would know we were going home to make love all night."   
  
She pulled away slightly, to catch his eye. "You think we could manage that? Make love all night, in our golden years?"   
  
"Oh honey, I know we could." He rocked her gently and kissed the top of her head.   
  
We'll sit and laugh of times were hard   
  
Laugh of times, when we thought   
  
Oh, it would end   
  
It all was over, then again   
  
She sighed and her voice grew weary. "That sounds nice."   
  
So much stood in the way of a long term future together. She needed to make some decisions. First and foremost there was Helena. Kristina was in danger now and it wouldn't be long before she found out about Sonny. Their relationship couldn't be kept secret for much longer. Alexis knew Helena would continue to torment her until one of them died. How would she deal with her wicked stepmother?   
  
"I wish we could grow old together. I want to be with you forever, Sonny."   
  
"We will be together. We have to. I can't accept anything else."   
  
And all I know is this way  
  
And to leave you, well I'll die   
  
Oh my friend,   
  
It will be you, until the end with me, always...   
  
Alexis made her decision. She knew what she had to do and could live with the consequences. She leaned back and her lips brushed his. "Sonny, I love you."   
  
Always....   
  
**** #40 - Dave Matthews Band 


	17. Chapter 17 of 24

Sonny smiled when he awoke and found himself spooned against Alexis. The beautiful woman wrapped in his pajama top, was everything, his friend, his confidant, his lover. He never thought he could be this fortunate. His hands casually slipped under the black silk. He caressed her warm flat stomach. She sighed and snuggled closer. She felt so good in his arms, he thought about waking her. He wanted to be with her again He always wanted to be with her, but she needed as much rest as she could get. Last night was more than difficult. Helena had returned and brought fear and carnage. Alexis almost lost her sister. She had been forced to kill in defense of Kristina, Johnny, Max and Adam. She had literally held Adam's life in her hands. And through all the chaos and blood she managed to keep a clear head. She understood the ramifications of the night and took steps to protect them all from the legal entanglements. In public she had more than held herself together, in fact she shined. But Sonny could see the toll it was taking. In unguarded moments her face fell and weariness overtook her. He would let her sleep until her body told her it was time to wake.   
  
His head nestled in her shoulder, and he watched her breathe. He loved watching her breathe, feeling the gentle rise and fall of her chest and the warmth of her breath against his cheek. In sleep, her breathing was regular and deep, in contrast to her awaking hours, when he often had to remind her to take a breath. She stirred and turned in his arms. He lay on his back, allowing her body to cover his. As her head came to rest on his chest, he smiled with contentment. He never thought he would find something so precious. She was precious. Every breath she took was precious.   
  
Alexis began to hum. She was dreaming of her mother again. Her dreams of her mother were either very good, or very bad. Most times when Alexis' mother visited her in her dreams, she brought comfort. Sonny would listen and smile as Alexis, in a child-like voice, would talk to 'momma' in her sleep. She'd speak of baby Kristina, giggle or ask for a lullaby. All tension would fall away from her body. Sonny loved to watch when Alexis had good dreams of her mother. But sometimes when her mother visited, Helena came too. Then, Alexis would relive her mother's murder. Her body would coil in a tight ball and she'd cry out in the night, begging 'momma' to come back. Those times broke his heart. All he could do was hold her and assure her she wasn't alone. Sonny watched her closely as he felt her body tense.   
  
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Alexis loved the old, scratched, vinyl record. It was her only recording of her mother singing. The beauty of her voice always shone through the pops and hisses. It filled the night. "Momma, are you here?" A nine-year-old Alexis broke into a huge grin as her mother appeared before her, in pure white brilliance. In her arms she held an infant. Alexis gazed up at them both, her eyes filled with adoration. "Momma, can I hold Kristina, please? I'll keep her safe."   
  
"My sweet child, I know you will." Kristin Bergman smiled at her daughter as she held the infant out. "I trust you to keep your sister safe."   
  
Alexis reached for the baby, but before she could touch the child, a cold hand seized her shoulder and spun her violently. "You can't protect her!" She was face to face with a younger Helena Cassadine, the frightening woman who murdered her mother.   
  
"No! You won't hurt them! I won't let you!" Young Alexis ripped away from Helena's malicious grip and turned back. Her mother stood before her, her brilliant dress turning crimson. Baby Kristina was gone. Her mother's sad eyes gazed with love at an adult Alexis.   
  
"I have faith in you, my child." Her mother dissolved into blackness.   
  
"Momma, don't go!"   
  
"Your mother can't protect you." Alexis turned to the harsh voice. She heard an infant cry. Helena now held baby Kristina and sneered. "That whore couldn't even protect herself. It was so easy to dispatch her." She made a slashing motion across her neck. "I purged the world of her presence. Now I will purge the world of her illegitimate issue. First I will kill this child, then I will deal with you."   
  
"No!" Alexis voice was strong. Things were different now. She wasn't a frightened child anymore. She felt her resolve build. "It all stops here, Helena. You won't hurt Kristina. You will never hurt anyone again."   
  
"You think you can stop me? Timid mouse, you are insignificant. You are alone. No one will help you. No one will ever care for you." These were the words Helena used to belittle her all her life. Words that made Alexis feel powerless and isolated as a child.   
  
A hand touched Alexis' shoulder. Sonny appeared at her side. "She is not alone." She glanced behind him and saw five more figures clad in hooded robes. They were a chorus at her back. "She is not alone."   
  
"She is not alone." An adult Kristina stepped forward. "She is strong and she knows what to do. I will be safe!" Alexis touched her sister's face. They locked eyes and Alexis smiled with confidence. She returned her gaze to an older, empty-handed Helena.   
  
"You hold no power over me now, Helena. I will keep my sister safe." Alexis' voice was strong.   
  
Sonny felt Alexis snuggle against him in her sleep. Her hand slid up his chest to caress his face. "I will keep everyone I love safe." She smiled returned to a quiet sleep.   
  
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"We've had men on the yacht ever since we found it." Benny sat on the couch in penthouse four, watching Sonny pour himself a drink. "Last night they saw three bodies tossed into the ocean. A boat approached Helena's yacht about 90 minutes after Ms Cassadine was attacked. There were already two bodies in it. A man, we've identified as Konstantin Kabanov, boarded the yacht. We believe he was the one who organized the kidnaping. Not fifteen minutes later his body was tossed into the sea. Sir, he was a particularly cruel and demented man. Ms Kristina is lucky the abduction attempt failed. I hate to say it, but Helena Cassadine did the world a favor when she got rid of him."   
  
Sonny took in this information without comment. The first bodies were obviously the two men Alexis killed. And this Kabanov paid the price of failing Helena. She was a ruthless woman, and smart too. He had to plan this carefully. Everything must be in place before he could make his move. He took his drink and sat opposite Benny.   
  
"I need you to put someone on Nikolas Cassadine. I want to know his whereabouts 24/7. And find out where Stefan is. Put someone on him too. Then, I want you to find the location of any and all blood relatives of Helena Cassadine, living or dead. That includes Stavros. If Helena tries to defrost him again, I want to know about it immediately."   
  
"Yes sir"   
  
Benny admired the way Sonny could formulate and execute intricate strategies. He could see the big picture and plan in minute details. He'd absorbed all the information available on Helena and discovered her weaknesses. He was now formulating a plan to use them against her.   
  
"Can you get some monitoring equipment out to our boat covering the Cassadine yacht? I want to know who she's in contact with and what she's planning. Also check on who she's hired in the past for special operations. Find out who they are and keep track of where they are."   
  
"Boss we're talking about a big job here, can I subcontract some of this work?"   
  
"Yeah, call in a favor from the New York organization. They're reliable and they owe me."   
  
"Consider it done. Anything else?"   
  
"Yeah, call our friend in Caracas. We're going to have to negotiate a long term contract with him."   
  
"Yes sir" Benny sighed. If the man from Caracas was involved, someone was going to die.   
  
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Johnny sat at the wheel of an SUV and scanned the on coming traffic. When the stream of cars thinned, he turned onto the highway, leaving Logan Airport. Ms Davis sat in the passenger seat, lost in thought as she stared at the passing scenery. She said she was in the mood for New England Clam Chowder so now Johnny found himself in Boston, driving a rental, looking for some place called Cafe Volakis. Alexis said it was the best place to get clam chowder. He suspected chowder wasn't the only reason for the trip. His suspicions were confirmed when they took Fleming's helicopter. Ms Davis hated helicopters. She spent the entire flight nervous and tense, her white knuckled fists gripping the sides of her seat. He knew she wouldn't endure that just for chowder, even if it was the best chowder in North America. Ms Davis was up to something. Something that required this trip to Boston and it involved Fleming Goeffin.   
  
Alexis met Fleming in nearby Cambridge. They attended Harvard together. Fleming still lived and worked in Boston. Johnny really liked the tall, black-haired attorney. The truth was, Johnny had a thing for his new lawyer and his new lawyer had a thing for him. Unfortunately they couldn't do anything about it. She'd made that perfectly clear last night. He thought about the beautiful lawyer and his meeting with her at the Port Charles Hotel.   
  
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"Have a seat Johnny." Fleming quickly kicked off her shoes and sat opposite him on the plush couch of her hotel suite. "You don't mind if I lose these heels do you. I just wear them to intimidate insecure cops like your lieutenant Taggert. I have no want nor need to intimidate you."   
  
Johnny laughed, but was disappointed. He liked her in heels. Heels accented a lady's gams. And this lady had great gams. He'd been checking out her legs all night. He'd been checking out a lot of things. His gaze followed her around the room. "Don't take 'em off for me. I'm not intimidated."   
  
Her smile was radiant. "Johnny I can see that. And I like where you're going, but we can't go there, not yet anyway. I made a promise to Alexis . . . "   
  
"To be all business, until all business is done?" Johnny was impressed and disappointed. Alexis chose her friend well. Ms Goeffin wouldn't mix business with pleasure, not tonight. She had integrity. He had to admire that. It was frustrating, but still he had to admire her. She kept her word. She paid her debts and she obviously owed a debt of honor to Alexis.   
  
"Yes. I can't break that promise, no matter how tempting it is. I have . . . " Fleming fumbled for the right words. She couldn't explain the depth of her friendship with Alexis, nor could she tell him why she was so indebted to her.   
  
"You have a code?" Johnny found the right word. Alexis always teased him about 'The Code', his code and Sonny's, the complicated set of rules that ran their business life, the unspoken alliances that governed their actions. It seemed lawyers had a code of their own. Or maybe this code was just between the two of them. Inside the casual conversation and laughter at the hospital, there had been a lot of wordless communication between Fleming and Alexis, as if they'd been through this before.   
  
"A code, you could call it that. I can't pursue anything extracurricular with a client, and right now you're my client. It's unethical."   
  
Johnny digested this bit of information. Alexis was definitely getting extracurricular with Sonny. How much was she risking?   
  
"But it's not illegal?" He leaned forward in his seat, intent on her answer.   
  
She let out a breath. "It's complicated. In some circumstances it's okay. In others it could get you in big trouble. I can't afford to complicate this situation any more than it already is." She looked at Johnny, her regret at all the lost possibilities clearly visible. Johnny had so many possibilities. "Suffice to say, I can't wait until this case is cleared up."   
  
"I see." Johnny couldn't wait either.   
  
"Good. Now tell me everything that happened tonight, legal or otherwise."   
  
Johnny relayed the events of the evening in bone chilling detail. Fleming took it all in, not commenting, her face revealing none of her emotions. As Johnny told the story, he tried to come to grips with the Alexis Davis he'd seen in the parking garage. She was probably the kindest person he knew, but the way she dispatched those men, was quick, efficient and deadly. Where did she learn to do that?   
  
"Ms Goeffin, you've known Ms Davis along time?"   
  
"Yes, since college"   
  
"I have protected her for quite awhile now. I've found her to be a kind, gentle person. But tonight she was so different. She was . . . "   
  
"Tonight she was a warrior."   
  
"Yes. You've seen this before?"   
  
"Johnny, I taught her."   
  
"I don't understand."   
  
"We didn't meet in law class. We met in a self-defense class. Alexis was the student and I was the teacher. I taught her to use any weapon at her disposal to defend herself."   
  
Johnny said nothing, but glanced across the floor at the spiked heels strewn casually there. He thought of Taggert thinking he was intimidating an unarmed woman, when he tried to confront Ms Goeffin. In reality she was armed to the teeth. He smiled. Damn he really liked this woman!   
  
"We became friends and later she encouraged me to pursue a career as an attorney. She convinced me I had the intelligence and skills to be a good lawyer. She helped me with my classes" Fleming paused, looked down and bit her lower lip. "She helped me other ways too." Her face grew somber at her last comment. Her debt to Alexis must be huge. Johnny realized he was also indebted to Alexis now.   
  
"She's a good lady."   
  
"Yes she is. She's a good friend and a good ally."   
  
Her tone and the look on her face told Johnny there was a lot more to this favor that Ms Goeffin owed Alexis, than either woman was willing to tell.   
  
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"Johnny, I want you to come work for me." Alexis pulled him out of his thoughts and back to Boston. He glanced sideways at her. Her firm stare told him she was serious. She often joked about employing him, but this request was no joke.   
  
"Ms Davis, please don't ask me to work for you. I can't afford it."   
  
"I will pay you well, Johnny."   
  
"It wouldn't matter how much you offered me. I couldn't accept money from you and I can't refuse your request, so please don't ask."   
  
"So what Sonny said is true. You owe me a debt."   
  
"A debt of an honor, yes ma'am"   
  
"You're bound by 'The Code' and you can't refuse my request. I'm sorry Johnny, but I must insist you work for me and I insist you accept adequate compensation for that work. If it's any consolation, it will be a temporary job."   
  
"You're going to use 'The Code' against me, Ms Davis? Why are you doing this?" Johnny was almost pleading.   
  
"You just said, it Johnny. It's all about 'The Code', your code, Sonny's code, MY code. Right now my code requires me to take action. And I need to protect Sonny. To do that, I need you to work for me. I'm going to need Max and Adam too. You all are in my debt, so I guess you're stuck with me as your employer for a while. We all have to obey 'The Code', Johnny."   
  
Johnny sighed. "Okay Ms Davis, but as long as we're talking about codes, I think I need a new lawyer." 


	18. Chapter 18 of 24

Gregour watched Alexis Davis from the shadows of the kitchen of Cafe Volakis. Her face was half hidden behind a menu but he recognized her instantly. She was seated in a secluded booth just off the main dining area. Across from her sat an intense young man, who's eyes constantly scanned the room. He wore a specially tailored suit. The kind designed to hide the presence of guns. Alexis had a bodyguard. Good, Alexis needed a bodyguard.   
  
He studied her face as the menu dropped and she gave her order to the waitress. It had been more than fifteen years since he last saw her. She looked a little older, a little sadder, but she was the same beauty his brother fell so hopelessly in love with. He remembered the first time he saw her. She was concealed behind a book then, but there was something about her, a grace in her manner that couldn't be hidden. She still had that same shy elegance, but perhaps now, a little less shy than when he knew her. There was an air self-assurance about her. She was almost regal.   
  
When they met in Greece, she was barely an adult and just beginning to discover herself. She was unsure about so many things. She was particularly unsure of love. She didn't trust it. It was as if she had never truly experienced it. It took Christian a long time to convince her of what was so obvious from the moment they first met. They were in love and destined to be together. Christian felt it immediately. It was love at first sight for him. Gregour saw that she felt it too. She just wouldn't believe it. When she finally did, she was afraid to accept it. It was if she intuitively knew it would end badly.   
  
His brother Christian was fearless in love. He had no doubts, no fears, no regrets. Gregour had never seen him so happy. He'd never seen two people so much in love. Each day he saw them, he thought they couldn't get any closer. Then the next day would come and they were closer and more in love. They made plans for a life together. Alexis would finish school in Cambridge. Christian got his work visa. He would work and live in Boston. She'd become a lawyer and he a restauranteur. They would raise a family and make a life there. It would be perfect. It seemed nothing stood in their way. But Alexis' intuition was correct. It did end badly. Helena Cassadine came and destroyed everything they both held dear.   
  
Gregour didn't know who the woman was, when he saw her on the veranda that morning. She was talking to Alexis. He couldn't hear their conversation. Alexis' back was to him so he couldn't gage her mood. He could only see the older woman who seemed to ooze cold charm. Helena Cassadine never stopped smiling, but there was no humor in her eyes. He wanted to go to the table and check on Alexis, but he was occupied with customers at the counter. When he had a chance to look back, they were both gone, the only evidence of their presence, Alexis' overturned chair. He put the encounter out of his mind, until her cousin came looking for her. Stefan Cassadine was a powerful man, but when Gregour described the woman with Alexis, he was filled with fear. Helena had discovered that she and Christian were to be wed, and purposely detained him. Stefan feared she planned to sabotage the wedding or worse. He was desperate to find Alexis. Gregour took him to Christian's cave.   
  
They heard the weeping as soon as they entered the home, soul crushing sobs of devastating loss. They were coming from Alexis. Stefan let out a relieved breath. If she was crying, she was alive. Gregour's stomach tightened. He knew only one thing that could cause her that kind of pain. He ran toward the cries and entered the bedroom. His heart died.   
  
Alexis sat on the floor, leaning against the bed. She was cradling Christian's body, one hand still covering the wound in his abdomen. With her head resting on his shoulder, she rocked him gently, alternately crying and begging him to come back. Gregour's eyes sought out his brother. Christian was so pale. He'd been beaten. There were bruises all over his face. He could see bruises on his chest where Alexis had opened his shirt, trying to stop the bleeding. He was dead. Gregour knew this in an instant. His life had drained from him. The room was covered in his blood. It saturated the carpet, extending six feet out in all directions. Alexis sat in the middle of it, holding him, begging him to live.   
  
The two men were frozen in place. Gregour couldn't accept what he saw, any more than Alexis could. The person they each loved most was gone. His legs gave out. He fell back against the wall and slid to the floor. Stefan inched closer. He was afraid for Alexis. His cousin had been traumatized as a child by her mother's death. It had taken years for her to recover. How could she recover from this?   
  
"Little one, can you hear me?" He reached out to touch her cheek.   
  
"Helena did this." Her voice was quiet. She looked up at Stefan. Her red-rimmed eyes caught his. "Why would she do this? Why would she want to do this?"   
  
It was a question that Gregour would ask of Stefan Cassadine repeatedly over the course of the next several days. Why would the Cassadine matriarch want to murder the fiancee of a distant cousin? His anger grew as he realized there would be no justice for his brother. When the authorities realized Helena Cassadine was involved, all interest in making an arrest disappeared. Alexis begged him not to take revenge on Helena. She feared he would be killed as well. Stefan also advised against seeking vengeance. He spoke with the voice of experience, assuring Gregour that he would fail and certainly die in the process. Stefan gave him a small measure of justice instead. He delivered the two men who assaulted Christian. Helena's men never returned to the Cassadine estates. They were never seen again.   
  
After Christian's funeral. Gregour came to Alexis. He had questions. Why would Helena Cassadine order the death of the fiancee of a poor relation? There must be more to it. There must be more to her. He pressed hard for answers. She had none and after their conversation, he was satisfied Alexis truly did not know. She was ignorant of the depth of hatred Helena Cassadine had for her. The reasons behind Christian's death were a mystery to her. So the question remained. Why? He finally cornered Stefan. He grabbed his arm and would not release him, until he got an answer. Stefan glared at him.   
  
"My mother hates Alexis. I don't understand why." He pulled his arm free and met Gregour's gaze. He saw the pain there. It could have been his pain as well. Alexis could just as easily be dead, if that were Helena's whim. His features softened. "Maybe because Alexis is bright and beautiful and gentle and kind, everything my mother is not. Maybe it's because my father loved Alexis more than he did his own sons, more than he did his wife." With that Stefan Cassadine walked away. Gregour never saw him again.   
  
Johnny sat across from Alexis in the secluded booth. The restaurant was deserted. It was early afternoon, the quiet time between lunch and the dinner time rush. The clam chowder was excellent. He attacked his bowl with abandon, but still kept his eyes open. He would leave nothing to chance as far as Alexis' safety was concerned. He quickly finished. Alexis on the other hand barely touched hers. She took her first spoonful and became wistful. The smell and taste seemed to take her to another place or time. Sadness settled about her. He tried to lighten her mood.   
  
"The chowder is very good. You're right Ms Davis it's the best I've ever tasted."   
  
"But it is not the best you have ever tasted, is it Alexis?" An older man approached the table. "We have tasted the best, you and I, and while this is very good, it does not quite measure up."   
  
Alexis looked up at the man she had come to Boston to see. He looked much older than his years. Time had not been kind to him. His hair was steel gray. When Alexis knew him in Greece, he used to laugh constantly. But as she looked at his face she saw no laughter. His eyes were weary and his face carried the deep creases of grief. Years of pain and loss had taken its toll. She felt responsible for much of it. "Hello Gregour"   
  
"You do not need to spare my feelings. We both know my brother made the best New England Clam Chowder. Too bad so few had the opportunity to enjoy it. He was taken from us before he could share it with the world."   
  
She looked away. She couldn't meet his eyes. She was afraid to see the blame there, blame for Christian's death. Tears were welling in her eyes. "I miss him, Gregour."   
  
"Alexis, please look at me." He gently spoke to her in Greek. She felt him touch her shoulder and glanced up to see a sad smile and outstretched arms. "It is good to see you again." He captured her hands and pulled her into his arms. "It has been too long."   
  
"Gregour, I'm so sorry." She responded in Greek. Her arms wrapped around his neck and she sobbed softly.   
  
"You have nothing to be sorry about." He held her tight, his voice a whisper in her ear.   
  
"If he never met me, he would still be alive."   
  
Johnny couldn't understand what they were saying but he knew anguish when he saw it. The shared pain between them was palpable.   
  
"I do not blame you. I have never blamed you. Do you remember what I told you in Greece?"   
  
"Yes. You said things were not as they seemed. You said I was not as I seemed, and when I found the truth come to you." She broke from his embrace, brushed away her tears and looked into his eyes. Her voice grew strong. "That's why I'm here. I know everything now. I know who I am. I know who Helena is. And I know what I must do."   
  
She opened her briefcase and held out a translation of Helena's KGB file.   
  
"Everything is here. Why Helena killed Christian. Why she hates me and everyone I care about. It's not a good reason, Gregour. It's insane in fact, but it's all in here. Countless murders throughout the last half century, all in pursuit of an insane, hopeless quest. Take it. You have a right to know."   
  
Johnny watched, as the older man took the thick envelop from Alexis. He could tell the man very much wanted to view the contents, but he did not. There were other matters to attend to first.   
  
"You are ready to do what must be done?"   
  
"I am and I will, but Gregour, I don't want you involved."   
  
"Alexis . . . " Gregour tried to interrupt, but Alexis continued.   
  
"I'm here because I owe you. You have a right to know why Christian was murdered. You have a right to retribution. It's something Johnny would call a debt of honor."   
  
Alexis gestured toward Johnny. He knew he had just entered the conversation. They were arguing about something. He wished he was multilingual.   
  
"Because of Christian, you have a right, but you don't need to be involved. I can do this alone. I would prefer to do this alone."   
  
"Alexis, you will not deny me this!" The man stood resolute. He would not back down.   
  
"No, I won't, but what we do, will have consequences. I don't want you to have to deal with that. You shouldn't have to deal with that."   
  
"You do not think I understand the consequences? I took care of the men who killed my brother. I know the consequences of what you're planning."   
  
"I cannot talk you out of this?"   
  
"No! I have waited a very long time for this. I will do what must be done and I thank god for the opportunity."   
  
"Very well" Alexis turned to Johnny and addressed him in English. "Johnny, this is Gregour Volakis. He's going to help us deal with Helena Cassadine."   
  
Johnny nodded to the older man and shook his hand. He turned back to Alexis.   
  
"It's about damn time." 


	19. Chapter 19 of 24

It had been a long day. Two nerve-racking helicopter rides inside of 24 hours and the emotional visit with Gregour were taking their toll. Still, there was one more task to perform today. There were legal details to be dealt with. The repercussions of last night's assault, the growing ethics problem she had being Sonny's lawyer while carrying on a secret relationship with him and the coming fallout from her plans for Helena all needed to be handled. A fatigued Alexis knocked on Fleming's door.   
  
"Alexis, I've been waiting for you. I take it you had more pressing business to deal with first."   
  
Fleming opened her door wide, inviting her friend in. She looked past Alexis to Johnny. The two of them exchanged glances. The sexual tension between them did not go unnoticed as Alexis entered the hotel suite. Johnny stopped at the threshold and took up position just outside the door. He politely nodded to Fleming, who directed a radiant smile in his direction as she closed the door.   
  
"Johnny doesn't want you to be his lawyer." She might as well deal with this particular ethics problem first. After a day of revisiting the agonies of her past, it would be good to do something nice.   
  
"Alexis I told you I would be all business..."   
  
"Until all business in done, I know. What? Is that your slogan now? Do you have it printed on your business cards?"   
  
Fleming laughed as she walked Alexis over to a pair of easy chairs, near the large windows overlooking the city of Port Charles. "That's a good idea. Maybe I should do that." She motioned for Alexis to sit and took a seat opposite her. "Look, Johnny's case won't last that long. We can wait."   
  
"You shouldn't have to wait. Johnny shouldn't have to wait." Alexis leaned back in her chair and smiled. "Besides it's part of his contract."   
  
"What do you mean?"   
  
"Johnny negotiated your release, in return for working for me."   
  
"Johnny's working for you now?"   
  
"Yes, Adam and Max too"   
  
"How did you get three of Sonny Corinthos' men to change allegiances and come work for you?" Fleming was intrigued and a little worried.   
  
Alexis smiled. "I used 'The Code' against them."   
  
"'The Code'? Johnny was talking about 'The Code' last night. What is it with 'The Code'?"   
  
"Sonny and the rest of the moral mobsters live their lives by this code. It's a bit twisted and often criminal, but it is a set of rules that they all obey. And one of the most important rules in 'The Code' is, you always pay your debts. After last night, Max, Adam and Johnny all owe me a debt."   
  
"And to repay that debt they have to work for you?"   
  
"Yep"   
  
"Alexis, why do you want them to work for you?"   
  
Alexis got up from the chair and began to pace in front of the windows. Her good humor quickly left. "There is something I must do and I need them to help me do it. I can't have Sonny legally connected to this, so they can't work for him. They have to work for me. I'm going to need you to write up their contracts for me, Fleming."   
  
Fleming studied her friend as she began to wear a path in the plush carpet. "Alexis, why do you need three of Sonny Corinthos' men? They have unique skills, the kind of skills you shouldn't require."   
  
Alexis stopped pacing and turned to the window. She looked out at the city lights below. "I need them to help me deal with Helena."   
  
"You're going after Helena Cassadine?" Fleming stood up. She was right to be worried. This was deadly serious business.   
  
"I have to."   
  
"You're talking about retribution. You're talking about going outside the law, Alexis! We both know how badly things can go when you seek revenge. Remember what happened to me. I sought vengeance on my own. I got my retribution. It didn't end well."   
  
"I remember. I can never forget." Her eyes were still locked on the city below.   
  
Fleming approached Alexis, her voice shaded with guilt. "I murdered a man. I almost died. YOU almost died. And what you had to do..."   
  
Alexis turned from the window, with forgiving eyes. "I don't regret that. I will never regret that."   
  
"You killed for me Alexis. I put you in a position where you were forced to kill to save my life."   
  
"That seems to be my special skill." Alexis laughed. She wrapped her arms around her shoulders, and gazed out into the night. "Whether by shoe or steel pipe, you can always count on me to dispatch the bad guys. I don't know. Maybe it's the Cassadine in me."   
  
Fleming reached out and touched her friend. "You don't need to hide behind humor, Alexis. I know what it cost you then. I can see what it's costing you now. You should never have had to do what you did. My need for vengeance forced you to do something terrible."   
  
"It wasn't your vengeance last night. It was Helena. She caused it. She spreads death everywhere and I have to stop her."   
  
"But retribution..."   
  
"It's not retribution!" There was anger in her eyes as she faced Fleming. "She came after my sister! She'll go after the man I..." Alexis took a deep breath, calming herself. "It's not retribution. It's defense. I don't want revenge Fleming, really I don't. I want the people I love to be safe."   
  
"And this is the only way, to go outside the law? Alexis, this is not you. There must be another way."   
  
"The law won't work here, Fleming. You thought those men who killed your brother where beyond the law? They were amateurs. Helena has been murdering people for more than 50 years, across four continents. She always gets away clean. I had the opportunity to see her KGB file. It's full of fascinating information. She first killed at the age of sixteen, a cousin who had the misfortune of being in the line of succession to a forgotten monarchy. She started killing at SIXTEEN, Fleming! And she hasn't stopped since. She slit my mother's throat. I saw it. She wanted me to see it! She killed ..." Her voice cracked, her mind filled with the image of her last moments with Christian. "...I held him as he died. She wanted that too! She wanted me to see him die. She attacked Kristina! She'll go after everyone I care about. I have to stop her and it has to be outside the law."   
  
"Okay, I believe you. I just don't understand why you don't go to Mr. Corinthos. I'm sure he knows how to handle this type of situation."   
  
"I don't want Sonny to handle this. It's not his debt. It's mine. It's my duty to protect Kristina, not his. I will not have him involved in this. That's why I really need you. Sonny cannot be connected to me in any way until this thing with Helena is settled. Any fallout from this cannot touch him. That's why I hired his men away. That's why I need you to be his attorney of record until this is all over."   
  
"I'll help you any way I can, but how are you going to explain this to him?"   
  
"I'm going to use the code."   
  
"This is covered in his code?"   
  
"Not his code, our code of ethics. Sonny and I are currently engaged in..." Alexis searched for the appropriate word. "...activities that might violate our code."   
  
"He's the one? Sonny Corinthos, the mob boss, is the client you've been having feelings..." Alexis nodded. "And now you've gone beyond just feelings..."   
  
"Oh we've gone way beyond just feelings."   
  
"You and Sonny Corinthos! Alexis, you almost worship the law. Sonny's a..."   
  
"I know exactly what people think Sonny Corinthos is. He's so much more than that."   
  
"You and Sonny Corinthos." Fleming was still trying to wrap her brain around the concept. "You're happy about this?"   
  
"I am very happy about this. I love him, Fleming. If it wasn't for Helena, I'd be shouting it from the rooftops."   
  
"So I become his attorney of record and we tell him it's necessary because you two are now in a relationship."   
  
"A secret relationship. Once we go public, I'll go back to being his lawyer."   
  
"And you'll go public when?"   
  
"After I deal with Helena. I must remove that threat first. Sonny and Kristina aren't safe until that's done."   
  
"And how long do you think that will take?"   
  
"Things are going to start moving fast. It should take two or three weeks, no more than a month, for everything to come together. If I'm successful, Helena will be gone and everyone will be safe."   
  
"And if you're not successful?"  
  
"Then it all falls on me. If I'm arrested, Sonny's not connected, no legal fallout for him. If I'm killed, he's still not connected. I don't think Helena will go after him. He'll be able to protect Kristina. I need you to protect Sonny. Fleming, I'm trusting you with everything I hold dear."   
  
"Alexis, you know you can count on me."   
  
"Thank you." Alexis returned to her chair. "Now, what about the statements you promised Taggert?"   
  
Fleming handed her a file and sat opposite her. "Well, Max, Adam, and Kristina didn't actually see anything, so there's no problem there. Johnny's statement contains the same information you told him to give to the hospital staff. You and he interrupted a kidnaping. There was a struggle. His attacker fled. All of you came to the hospital. Did I tell you, you are brilliant? You had him tell only the bare facts of what happened to him and only him. No one knows he saw those two men die. He gave them facts but very little truth."   
  
Alexis scanned the documents, nodding. "I'm nothing, if not a good lawyer. What does my statement say?"   
  
"Ah, yours is a little messier. You came out of the elevator. You saw the second man moving to stab Johnny. You jumped him. He threw you across the parking garage. You hit your head. Everything is a blur after that. I don't think there are any outright lies in it. Everything WAS a blur right?"   
  
"That's an understatement. It all happened so fast. But Fleming, I'm sorry to say I remember it all."   
  
"Well that's where it could get messy. Your statement doesn't say you don't remember. It says it was all a blur."   
  
"Semantics"   
  
"The lawyer's best friend. I'm not saying a good attorney wouldn't have some questions about your statement. But since there are no bodies to be found and you are one of the victims here, I don't think there will be a lot of questions. I know you don't want to lie in your statement, so if they do press you on this, take a page from Sonny's book. Let 'em talk to your lawyer." Fleming smiled as Alexis laughed.   
  
"Good idea, you know I've got the second best lawyer in the country."   
  
"Second best...?" Fleming's head turned, as she heard a knock on the door. She opened it to reveal Johnny and another man. Except for color of their suits, the two men were identically attired. Do all bodyguards get their suits from the same tailor? Fleming wondered if they got a volume discount.   
  
"Ms Davis, Francis is here" Johnny was trying hard not to look at Fleming.   
  
"Good! Francis, you wait there. Johnny, come in please." Johnny took two steps past the threshold and stopped. Alexis grabbed his arm and pulled him further into the room. "Johnny, Fleming is no longer your lawyer." She walked over to Fleming and grabbed her arm. "Fleming you no longer have any ethical concerns regarding anything you two want to pursue together." She turned back to Johnny. "As your employer, I am informing you, that you are in no way, shape or form expected to protect Fleming as part of your duties for me, so there is no violation of your Bodyguard's Code of Professional Conduct." Alexis pulled the pair together. "There is now no professional conflict of interest between either of you." She turned to Fleming. "Call me if there are any problems... with business. This other thing, I don't want to know anything about." She turned back to Johnny. "You are officially off duty. I don't expect to see you for at least 48 hours." She walked over to him, rose up on her tiptoes and grabbed his shoulders. He was taller than she remembered. She gave him a quick kiss on his cheek and whispered. "Thank you for saving my sister." Alexis walked out the door. "Come on Francis, I want to go home."   
  
Johnny blushed bright red, as he watched Alexis leave the room. Fleming approached him from behind and rested her arms on his shoulders. She didn't remember him being this tall.   
  
"Johnny, you've gotten taller since I last saw you."   
  
"Yes Ms Goeffin" He turned around, pointing out his snake skin cowboy boots. They added two full inches to his height. He smiled. "I wanted a level playing field."   
  
"Johnny" Fleming grinned   
  
"Ms Goeffin" Johnny's grin was bigger.   
  
"Are you always going to call me Ms Goeffin?" Her hands were running up and down his arms.   
  
"You haven't asked me to call you anything else." He caught a hand and drew it to his mouth. He placed a gentle kiss on her palm.   
  
"I have to tell you to call me by my first name?" She moved her free hand up to caress his cheek.   
  
"I was taught to respect ladies. You are most definitely a lady."   
  
"Johnny"   
  
"Ms Goeffin"   
  
"Can you just respect me in the morning?"   
  
"Absolutely." He kissed her passionately, pushing her backward. They started a twirling waltz toward the bedroom. Fleming ran her hands down his chest and unbuttoned his jacket.   
  
"Let's see what's under this specially tailored, bodyguard suit of yours." The jacket fell to the plush carpet, revealing Johnny's shoulder holster. She grinned. "Johnny, is that your gun?"   
  
"Yes ma'am, Smith & Wesson, .38 Special, snub-nosed revolver." He was working on the buttons of her jacket as he continued to kiss her.   
  
"Johnny, Snub-nosed? Isn't that a little... small?" The gun and holster fell both to the floor. Johnny pushed her jacket back and it dropped off her shoulders. It landed next to the revolver. She felt him smile as he nibbled her neck.   
  
"Fleming, I have another gun."   
  
"Oh Johnny, I'm sure of that!" Her hands migrated south. "But a .38 Special, that's such an old-fashioned weapon."   
  
"I'm an old-fashioned man." Johnny placed a hand at the small of her back to pull her closer. "Fleming, what's this?" He produced a semi-automatic pistol.   
  
"Barreta 9MM."   
  
"A more modern weapon." The pistol bounced off the carpet.   
  
"I'm a modern woman." Her hands ran down his back, pulling his shirt tail out. She was searching for skin. She found something else. "Johnny you've got another gun."   
  
"A Glock 9MM. Sometimes old-fashioned just doesn't work." They continued their dance across the room, kissing, touching and exploring.   
  
"So you're open to more modern methods?" The Glock dropped at the entrance to the bedroom.   
  
"Most definitely, I'm always prepared to try new things. Fleming, am I going to find any more weapons on you?"   
  
"I don't know. Maybe you should frisk me."   
  
"Oh I intend to." He ran his hands over every part of her body, shedding garments along the way. Her blouse and skirt joined the trail of accouterments strewn across the room.   
  
"Just the one gun?"   
  
"I'm a simple woman. I now stand before you, totally weaponless."   
  
Johnny's eyes took a slow journey over the length of her body and stopped at her spiked heels. "I don't think you're weaponless. You're still wearing heals."   
  
"Do you want me to take them off?" She started to lean down to undo the straps.   
  
"No!" He grabbed her by the shoulders. "Besides even without heels..." He stopped to regard her breasts, then shifted his gaze south. "...you're hardly weaponless."   
  
"Johnny, you really know how to complement a girl! Okay, the heels stay on one condition."   
  
"Name it."   
  
"The cowboy boots stay... all night."   
  
"Deal."   
  
She tore his shirt open, buttons flew everywhere, but she was disappointed. Johnny had managed to almost completely disrobe her, but she still hadn't reached skin. "What do we have here?"   
  
"Body armor"   
  
Fleming's hands were busy with the velcro straps of the bulletproof vest. "Johnny with all this stuff on why aren't you sweating?"   
  
"Body control." Johnny began to trail soft kisses up her chest.   
  
"You have body control?" She groaned. He was now working magic in the hollow of her throat.   
  
"Complete body control"  
  
"Complete... body control?"  
  
"With practice and patience you can learn to control any part of your body."   
  
"Any part of your body?" She smiled at the possibilities.   
  
"And I have patience." They were both grinning now.   
  
"Oh my! It's just like Christmas Eve. I get to spend the entire night unwrapping my presents. I love unwrapping presents." She tore off the body armor, then pulled his white cotton T-shirt over his head, finally skin! She ran her hands across his chest and down his well muscled stomach. "And Johnny there's so much here to unwrap." She started to rid him of his pants, when she felt something hard... in the wrong place.   
  
"Johnny, I know you're happy to see me, but what's that in your pocket?"   
  
"My baton"   
  
"Your baton is in your pocket?"   
  
"Yes, it's expandable to 16 inches." He expertly whipped out the telescoping, metal baton.   
  
"I'm sure it is." She ran her hand up the cool metal shaft.   
  
"It's got a foam-textured grip."   
  
"Really foam-textured?" She took the baton from him. It hit the floor at the base of the bed.   
  
'Fleming I'd really like you to grip my baton."   
  
She pushed him toward the bed. "Johnny, I'm not really interested in that baton."   
  
He fell back pulling her with him. "Fleming, I'm not talking about that baton." 


	20. Chapter 20 of 24

"Damn, I really need to get this fixed."   
  
Sonny fumbled with the lock of penthouse two. He was trying to balance a bag of groceries in one arm and unlock Alexis' door at the same time. He was failing at both. The lock was totally uncooperative and the groceries were threatening to break away from his precarious hold.   
  
"Alexis! Can you open the door please!"   
  
The bag began to teeter out of his arm. Sonny abandoned the keys and quickly moved to catch the falling bag. The keys clattered to the floor. He regained control of the groceries and leaning his head against the door, bent down to retrieve the keys. Alexis chose this moment to open the door and Sonny spilled into the penthouse. He barely kept the groceries upright as he fell on his back. With dimples dazzling, he grinned up at Alexis.   
  
"Hi! Thanks for getting the door."   
  
"Hmm" Alexis was in a mood. She snatched the bag from his outstretched arms, walked over to the kitchen counter and dropped it there. She silently walked back to her desk and picked up a file.   
  
Sonny rolled to his feet and retrieved his keys.   
  
"I thought we'd have grilled chicken and sauteed veggies with mushrooms for dinner." Alexis snapped open the file. Undaunted, Sonny tried to start a light conversation. "The mushrooms are fresh. I picked 'em out special at the market." Alexis said nothing. She stared at her file, refusing to even acknowledge his comments. It was then that Sonny noticed the music.   
  
* Winter's cold, spring erases   
  
And the calm, away by the storm is chasing   
  
Everything good needs replacing   
  
'Satellite', Kristina was playing 'Satellite'. That song was 50 minutes into the "Alexis - Bitchy" playlist. This wasn't good. This was not good at all! He heard footfalls and turned to see Kristina sneaking down the stairs. She paused checking the mood in the room. Deciding it was still not safe to be within earshot of Alexis, she started back up the stairs.   
  
"Kristina!" Sonny quickly walked to the base of the staircase and called her over with a wave of his hand. "May I speak with you?"   
  
Kristina cocked her head toward Alexis. She scrunched her face, motioned toward her sister and whispered. "Can we do this later? I really need to go back upstairs."   
  
Sonny looked back at Alexis, who was busy shoving files around her desk. He could almost see the steam venting from her ears. "I can see why you need to go upstairs, but I need to talk to you, now. Let's go to the kitchen. I want to start dinner."   
  
Kristina quickly tiptoed past Alexis and practically ran to the kitchen. Sonny pulled out a colander from the cabinet and handed it to her. She opened the grocery bag. Filling the colander with the vegetables, she placed it under the faucet and turned on the hot water.   
  
"You know Sonny, I think it's great that you love to cook for Alexis."   
  
Sonny grabbed Kristina's hand and guided it back to turn the hot water off, then he directed it to the cold water knob. "You rinse vegetables in cold water Kristina." Were all the Bergman women clueless in the kitchen?   
  
Kristina was trying desperately to keep Sonny off the topic at hand. "You're such a great cook and you do dishes too. No wonder my sister fell for you."   
  
"Can it, Kristina. Why is Alexis upset?"   
  
"Is Alexis upset? I didn't notice." She turned off the water and gave the colander a good shake, then handed it over to Sonny. He spilled the contents onto the cutting board and began to chop the veggies.   
  
"You're deep into the 'Bitchy' music and Alexis is not singing. That's 'Satellite' playing and she's not singing. She always sings to 'Satellite'." He emphasized his point with a wave of the eight inch cook's knife. "Why isn't she singing Kristina?"   
  
The thought of her sister's singing, gave Kristina a pained expression. "Sonny, Alexis singing is not necessarily a good thing." She reached up and removed plates and glasses from the cupboard.   
  
For some reason Sonny felt the need to defend Alexis. "Her singing is not that bad, Kristina." It wasn't that good, but it really wasn't painful, well not too painful.   
  
"Speak for yourself Sonny. You don't have perfect pitch. It's torture for me. Trust me. Alexis NOT singing is a good thing."   
  
"You're trying to distract me, Kristina. My point is the 'Bitchy' music is almost done and she's still fuming. What did you do?"   
  
"Nothing!" She opened a drawer and gathered up some silverware.   
  
"Nothing?" Sonny tilted his head toward the desk. Alexis cursed under her breath. "That's not nothing, Kristina."   
  
"Nothing bad! It's something nice." She headed toward the dining room, plates, napkins and silverware in hand. Sonny followed.   
  
"Kristina?"   
  
"Honestly, it's something really nice!" She began to set the table.   
  
"Really? What nice thing did you do for Alexis that has her so pissed?"   
  
"I booked a birthday party for her, next week at Lukes!"   
  
"A birthday party? For Alexis? At Lukes?" Sonny looked to the heavens for the strength to stay calm. "Well, I don't know why she'd be upset by that? She hates drawing attention to herself. She's uncomfortable with public displays of affection and Luke gets on her nerves. Why wouldn't Alexis want to celebrate her birthday, in a public place, where she is the center of attention, in a club owned by Luke Spencer?"   
  
"I think Alexis likes it when Luke gets on her nerves. Besides it doesn't matter. Luke won't be there. I worked it out with Claude. Luke will be gone that whole week. He and Laura are going to Texas for some reason. I'm getting Ned to reunite with the 'Idle Rich' and I'm going to sing with them. Won't it be great?" She returned to the kitchen, with Sonny close behind, and collected the glasses.   
  
"You plan on reminding her of 'Eddie's Angel'? Kristina . . . "   
  
"Who?"   
  
"You don't know about 'Eddie's Angel'?"   
  
"Who's 'Eddie's Angel'?" She carried the glasses out to the dining room and placed them on the table.   
  
"I suppose Ned hasn't mentioned it. Alexis certainly wouldn't."   
  
"Sonny?" Kristina expected to hear all the sordid details.   
  
Sonny shook his head vigorously. "Oh no, I'm not going there. You'll have to ask Ned. I am definitely not getting in the middle of this." Sonny thought about the party. Lukes would be full of people. He needed Alexis to be in front of witnesses when Helena was finally dealt with. "Did Alexis give you an outright no to the party?"   
  
"No, she didn't. I think eventually she'll give in and come. My sister loves me and will do pretty much anything I ask, as long as it's not illegal."   
  
"I think you're right." This could work out well. A party at Lukes would give them the perfect alibi.   
  
Kristina inspected the table set for two and smiled. "I am out of here! Max and Adam have been out of the hospital for a week now and I am finally getting to take them out for a 'thank you' dinner. I won't be home 'til late." She glanced at her sister, then leaned in and whispered. "I suggest you wait until you see the antennas waving. Then it's safe" She patted Sonny on the shoulder, took a wide path around Alexis and slipped out the door.   
  
Sonny returned to the kitchen. As he cooked dinner, he worked out the details in his mind. Alexis birthday party would be the perfect opportunity to execute his plan against Helena.   
  
Alexis sat at her desk trying hard to act angry. It was getting more and more difficult. It wasn't just the upbeat music, which always lightened her mood, she wasn't really that upset. True, it was not how she wanted to spend her birthday. She was looking forward to an intimate evening with Sonny, but as soon as Kristina made her big announcement she realized that she and Sonny were not going to have a chance to be alone. That did make her angry. It was frustrating sometimes, how her sister could be so in tune with her on some things, and so clueless about others. The music for instance, Kristina had an uncanny sense of how music would affect her. It annoyed her how easily Kristina could manipulate her moods with music. She found her head bouncing ever so slightly to the beat. She quickly stopped herself. She was still supposed to be mad.   
  
She was annoyed. Kristina booked a big splashy party, because it was what she would like for a birthday celebration. She really didn't give much thought to what Alexis wanted. When she made her announcement, Alexis tried to be gracious, but inside she was steaming. At a public party she and Sonny would have to pretend they were only friends. How could Kristina think spending the evening, at arms length from Sonny would be a fun time. There would be no touching, no kissing, no anything else until late in the evening when the party finally broke up. Happy Birthday Alexis.   
  
She listened to Kristina, her plastered on smile quickly fading, as her sister rambled on about what a great night it would be. Ned would be there and Jax too. Yeah great, they all got along so well with Sonny. Jax would probably bring Skye along. The Sonny fan club just kept growing and growing. And if Taggert got wind of this little affair, he wouldn't be able to resist the urge to crash the party. This was going to be one special night. It was then that Kristina mentioned the 'Idle Rich'. Oh god, she could hear the 'Eddie's Angel' comments already. Luke probably has a poster hidden somewhere in a backroom that would magically appear at the most inopportune time. Happy Damn Birthday Alexis!   
  
Kristina's rambling was slowing down, when Alexis saw a small spark of realization in her sibling. It finally dawned on her that Alexis was not happy. She continued talking, but began to back away. She headed straight for her computer. She switched on the 'Alexis - Bitchy' music, and made a quick exit. At first the music made her more angry. How dare Kristina think she could fix this with a little music. Then Alexis did what she always did when she was truly upset. She sought relief in her work, settling in at her desk and going through mundane legal briefs. The music was calming and she started to think more rationally about an evening out. It would provide the perfect cover for her plan for Helena. She and Sonny would be in a public place in front of witnesses. If she was lucky, they would have lieutenant Taggert as their alibi.   
  
When Sonny came in, she was pretty much over being angry and was in full planning mode. The site of him stumbling through the door almost made her laugh out loud. But she couldn't. If her plan was to work, she couldn't appear happy about her birthday party. And she refused to give Kristina the satisfaction that her music magic had worked again. So she fumed in front of Sonny and received a certain amount of satisfaction as Sonny shared his pain by interrogating Kristina. Sonny gave her sister the third degree and Alexis enjoyed every second of it. Maybe after Sonny explained things to her, Kristina would think twice about pulling a stunt like this again. Alexis found herself humming 'Satellite'. She forced herself to stop as Kristina attempted to sneak out without her noticing. She glanced over her shoulder at Sonny, busy in the kitchen. The chicken smelled wonderful. Her stomach began to growl.   
  
The penthouse filled with the crisp sounds of a saxophone. It signaled the beginning of 'Ants Marching'. When all else failed, Kristina played this song. Alexis loved this song. She couldn't stop herself from singing softly.   
  
** Take these chances   
  
Place them in a box until a quieter time   
  
Lights down, you up and die   
  
It was funny. The melody was bright but the song itself was not. It was about wasted opportunities. Well, she was done with wasted opportunities. She was taking chances now. She took a chance on Sonny. She was taking a huge chance in finally dealing with Helena, but she was done waiting for things to get better on their own. She wouldn't continue to live her life as she had in the past, afraid to love and be loved. She would make life better for herself and the people she loved, or she would die trying.   
  
Her head started bouncing to the beat of the music. The song possessed her. She couldn't help herself. Her hands went up to her head and her fingers began to wave. Damn Kristina!   
  
All the little ants are marching   
  
Red and black antenna waving   
  
They all do it the same . . .   
  
Dinner was cooked. Sonny had just finished spooning the veggies onto the plates when he saw it. Alexis was singing softly. Her hands went to her head, the first finger of each extended. She made little 'antenna' motions and bopped to the music. 'Wait for the antenna waving.' That's what Kristina said. He sprang into action.   
  
Alexis felt his touch on her shoulders. She dropped her hands and smiled. He leaned in and pulling her shirt back kissed the base of her neck. "Dinner's ready."   
  
She stood up and turned into his embrace. Her mouth found his, then moved over to nibble his ear. "I am very hungry."   
  
He smiled as he began to unbutton her blouse. "Which hunger do you want to take care of first?"   
  
Her hands covered his, stopping his movements. She laughed. "I want dinner."   
  
.  
  
.  
  
.  
  
The meal was spent in laughter and conversation. Sonny was laughing. His face relaxed into an easy smile. Alexis was amazed how everything was so easy with him. He understood her moods, her sense of humor and he understood her body so well. Things were wonderful now, but would they be this wonderful after next week? All her plans were coming together. If she was successful, she would keep everyone she loved safe from Helena forever. But if failed, jail or death awaited her.   
  
Sonny gazed at Alexis from across the table. She was laughing. He loved it when she laughed. He loved how she could make him laugh. He always thought his moods were dark by nature, but his mood never stayed dark in her presence. She filled his soul with light. When she was near, he felt complete and at peace. She was the most precious thing in his world. He would not let Helena Cassadine hurt her again. He had to keep her safe, even at the cost of losing her. In a week she would be safe. She may hate him and refuse see him again, but she would be safe.   
  
"Alexis, about Kristina's party . . . " Sonny raised the question gingerly. He didn't want to destroy her good mood.   
  
"I'll go."   
  
"You will?"   
  
"If it will make Kristina happy, I can get dressed up and spend one night at Lukes."   
  
"You know I like it when you get dressed up." Sonny gave Alexis a devilish grin. "I like it better, when I get to undress you."   
  
"Ah but you can't." She smiled and waved her fork no. "The party will be in public. In public, you are only my client. You know the rules, no hugging, no kissing, no touching. That's our agreement."   
  
His face fell slightly, but he wasn't giving up. "You won't even make an exception for a small pat on the behind?"   
  
"No exceptions, I do not allow my clients to pat my behind. Out there you are my client."   
  
"But in here, I'm not your client." Sonny stood up and rounded the table. He pulled her to her feet. "In here, I can do all the things I can't do out there."   
  
She rested her hands on his chest and grinned mischievously. "In here, things are up for negotiation."   
  
"I can negotiate. You want to hear my demands? In here, I want to hold you." His arm curled around the small of her back. He pulled her close.   
  
She snaked her arms around his neck. "Holding is good. We can tentatively agree to that. What else do you propose?"   
  
"In here, I can kiss you." He stole her breath as his tongue danced in her mouth. She moaned and threaded her fingers through his hair. He began to trail kisses down her throat, opening buttons along the way.   
  
Her breathing came in ragged gasps. "I think that would be mutually beneficial to both parties. Any other demands?"   
  
"Yes, I want to be able to touch you." His hands traveled low and slow.   
  
"Oh god!" Alexis writhed with pleasure. "I demand a change in venue. We can continue this negotiation upstairs."   
  
"No, that's too far away. How about the couch?"   
  
"I suppose we can compromise."   
  
"No way! I don't want to compromise with you. I want to fulfill all your demands." He lifted her off the floor and headed toward the stairs.   
  
She wrapped her legs around his waist. "You're a tough negotiator, Sonny."   
  
* Satellite - Dave Matthews Band   
  
** Ants Marching - Dave Matthews Band 


	21. Chapter 21 of 24

* Fools are we   
  
If hate's the gate to peace   
  
This is the last stop.   
  
Marcus Taggert tapped his foot to the jukebox, as he sat in one of the secluded booths that lined the back of Lukes. From this location he would have a good vantage point for the night's festivities. Tonight, an eclectic crowd gathered to honor Alexis Davis. Rock stars and royalty, mobsters and millionaires were all here. It was quite a party. He smiled as he saw the stage crew setting up for the 'Idle Rich'. Luke Spencer would have a stroke, if he knew Claude was allowing Ned Ashton, a.k.a. Eddie Main of 'Eddie Main and the Idle Rich' to play at his blues club. He looked over at the bar and spotted a reporter from the local tabloid. She scanned the room and scribbled in her notebook. Taggert wasn't the only one interested in chronicling what was bound to be an interesting evening. He looked past the reporter and nodded to Capelli who had positioned himself at the end of the bar. The plain-clothes cop nodded almost imperceptibly in return. Between the two of them, they should be able to catch all the action. With any luck, someone would be in jail before the end of the night.   
  
The jukebox filled the club with the sounds of jazz and rock n roll, as the door opened and Kristina and Ned entered. They were laughing and cuddling as they walked. Taggert shook his head in amazement. How had Ashton managed to date both the Cassadine women without one, or both of them killing him? Must be the rock star in him. After all he did manage to turn Alexis Davis into 'Eddie's Angel'. Taggert thought of the 'Eddie's Angel' poster that brought Ms Davis so much unwanted fame several years ago. That life-sized picture of the tough defense attorney in black lingerie, was a revelation. Until he'd seen it, he never looked past the business suits Ms Davis always wore. After he saw her as 'Eddie's Angel' he couldn't stop thinking about everything she hid under those multilayered, conservative outfits. He wondered what kind of woman she would be outside of the courtroom.   
  
Kristina and Ned took seats at the main table near the stage. It was filled to near capacity. The ex-husband, Jasper Jacks, and his companion Skye Quartermain, were already seated, as was the nephew, Nikolas Cassadine. Seated with Nikolas was Gia Campbell. Taggert smiled as he looked at his sister. She looked every bit the supermodel she was on the verge of becoming, but he worried about her. She was wasting her life with the Cassadine Prince. Nikolas Cassadine was no good. He was a spoiled rich kid, who couldn't give his sister the love she deserved. Even worse, he was slowly turning into his father. Stavros Cassadine was a cruel manipulator, who was incapable of love, and he was a heartless murderer. Taggert feared for Gia. All the spawn of Helena Cassadine were bad news. The only decent Cassadines were Alexis and Kristina. Of course they weren't related to Helena.   
  
Taggert surveyed the rest of the room. Business people, CEOs and entrepreneurs, criminals and attorneys, people from high and low society, friends, family and associates were all gathering to celebrate Alexis Davis' birthday. It was the first celebration of it's kind. It would probably be the last. Not many people were willing to miss it. The blues club quickly filled to capacity. Then Alexis entered and Taggert's jaw dropped. She was stunning. Dressed in a floor length, sleeveless dress, that shimmered dark blue and black, she glided into the club. The dress was split to mid thigh at the side, revealing her gorgeous legs. It was low cut in the front, even lower cut in the back and the fabric hugged all the best places. She was hiding none of her assets tonight. Damn, she looked fine! Taggert folded his hands on his lap to cover his tented trousers and tried to calm himself. Right now, he wasn't sure if he would be able to get up, if a real emergency required action.   
  
Ms Davis was flanked on one side by her bodyguard, Johnny. He'd been her constant companion in public ever since that little incident at the Harbor View Towers. There was something fishy about the kidnaping attempt. Taggert was sure he hadn't heard the complete story. There was no way one bodyguard, could scare off three of Helena Cassadine's hired psychopaths. He knew the crime scene was tampered with. The parking garage was too clean. He could have sworn it had been steam cleaned. You could eat off that garage floor. Hell, you could perform surgery on it. It was spotless, sterile even. Taggert questioned everyone he could, but he didn't get any useful information from any of the witnesses. All their stories were thin. Their statements were light on facts and contained no truths at all, and the woman who entered Lukes on the other side of Ms Davis was responsible. Fleming Goeffin was a piece of work. Aggressive and obnoxious, the towering attorney just rubbed Taggert the wrong way. I bet that big time Boston lawyer is gay! She likes to intimidate people, especially men. Yeah, she must be gay.   
  
As they walked through the club, Alexis strained her neck to look up at her friend. "Fleming did you have to wear those heels. You're dwarfing half the men in the room."   
  
"Alexis, before the night is over, I expect to be working. Height can be very intimidating." Fleming smiled. "I like intimidating. It helps me in my work."   
  
Johnny pulled out their chairs, as the two women sat down at the main table. He then positioned himself a short distance behind Alexis. He scanned the room for potential trouble. He quickly noted the locations of both Capelli and Taggert.   
  
"Well I'm for anything that will help you with your work." Alexis grinned as a thought occurred. "You know, with you escorting me looking like an Amazon, people are going to think I'm your bitch." She pointed to the reporter at the bar. "See that woman over there? She works for the local tabloid. She's probably thinking up trashy headlines right now."   
  
Fleming flashed an evil grin, grabbed Alexis' shoulders, leaned in low and whispered in her ear. "You want to give her something to write about?"   
  
"You are a bad girl, Fleming." Alexis laughed. "The object of the game for me tonight, is to draw as little attention as possible. You're not helping."   
  
"I'm not helping? You shouldn't have worn that dress! My goodness, Alexis! Has your client seen it yet?"   
  
Alexis dropped her head and blushed. "Oh yeah! He's seen it. Why do you think we were so late?"   
  
Taggert watched as Fleming leaned down to whisper something in Alexis' ear. She was rubbing her shoulders. Alexis whispered back, laughed, then blushed. Please god, tell me Alexis Davis is not gay! What a total waste of womanhood that would be! Still the two of them together . . . The thought of Alexis Davis and Fleming Goeffin as a couple didn't help him with his trouser problem at all, if anything it was getting worse. Taggert shifted his gaze down the bar and found Laura Spencer's executive assistant, Elton, chatting up Sonny Corinthos' bookkeeper, Benny. Was Elton hitting on him or was it the other way around? Benny appeared to be buying Elton a drink. The evening just kept getting curiouser and curiouser.   
  
When Taggert's gaze returned to the main table, he found the processional had begun. People were lining up to extend their good wishes. It was like watching royalty. He realized he was watching royalty. Alexis Davis was a Cassadine Princess. She was regal. Even in that gloriously form fitting dress, which caused him so much distress, she radiated elegance. With a touch, a handshake or an embrace, she greeted the well-wishers with kindness and warmth. Each guest was captivated by her charm. Taggert was mesmerized. He had always seen her in attorney mode, aggressively defending her clients, now he saw another side. He saw class, kindness and charm, all in one beautiful package. He wondered whether a defense attorney would be willing to date a cop.   
  
She was greeting Lila Quartermain now. Taggert could see the affection the two women shared as they embraced. His mind filled with an image of Alexis Davis at Lila's age. He knew she would age with the same grace as the matriarch of the Quartermain clan. They were both women of great style. He watched as Alexis enchanted the cantankerous, Edward Quartermain who turned on the charm in response. The old man held her hand and flirted with his eyes as he gave his birthday wishes. Then Reginald paid his respects. He held her in the same high esteem he reserved for his beloved Mrs. Quartermain. Alexis thanked him and gave him a huge hug.   
  
When Zander Smith paid his respects, Ms Davis was almost maternal. She embraced her client with love and insisted he sit with her. The hot-headed thug Taggert knew, was transformed into a polite young man, proud to sit at her side and eager to please. She doted on him gently patting his hand as they laughed and talked.   
  
Then Sonny Corinthos entered. She stopped talking. All conversation in the room halted. The only sounds in the club were the tense, pulsating strains of electric violin and base guitar coming from the jukebox.   
  
** I've this creeping suspicion   
  
That things here are not as they seem   
  
Oh reassure me   
  
Why do I feel as if I'm in too deep   
  
Alexis pulled her hands off the table and rested them in her lap. Her eyes locked with Sonny's as she watched him walk to her table. Everyone watched him. This was the most dangerous man in Port Charles.   
  
Oh I've been praying   
  
For some way to show them I'm not what they see   
  
Yes I have done wrong   
  
But, what I did, I thought needed be done   
  
I swear   
  
Sonny was using every means at his disposal to maintain control. She was magnificent. Surrounded by friends and family, accepting the love and admiration that were her due, she was shining. He'd never seen her more beautiful. He remembered earlier in the day when she came to him wearing that dress. She crossed the hall to ask him to help her with her mother's necklace. The dress was made to showcase it. The shimmering blue/black material complemented the stones. She took his breath away. She handed him the necklace and turned away from him so he could clasp it at her back. Instead he put the jewels aside and turned her in his arms. It started with a slow sensuous kiss. They wanted to savor the moment. It might be the last time they would ever be together. They both had tears in their eyes as he carried her to his bed, each vowing to make enough memories to last a lifetime if necessary.   
  
I need you so   
  
To stay in your arms, see you smile hold you close   
  
And it weighs on me   
  
As heavy as stone and a bone chilling cold   
  
Sonny held his hands behind his back and kept his features expressionless, as he walked through Lukes. All he wanted to do was sweep Alexis up in his arms and hold her. He was tired of all the hiding and deception, tired of hiding his feelings for her from the world, tired of deceiving her about his plans for Helena. He planned to kill Helena tonight. His men had already grabbed her and were in the process of delivering her to him. They would have a short conversation. He would explain to Helena why she must remove all threats against Alexis. He would make her the proverbial 'offer she couldn't refuse', ensure Alexis' safety and that of her sister, then he would dispose of Helena once and for all.   
  
Alexis watched Sonny approach. She kept her arms under the table. She couldn't trust herself not to reach out to him. She held her face impassive as he approached. This was the part of the night she dreaded. She wanted to touch him, to hold him, but instead she needed to be doubly duplicitous. She had to hide her feelings for Sonny from the prying eyes of the room and she had to hide her plans from Sonny. She knew he planned to have Helena delivered here later tonight. She knew he planned to meet with her, then kill her. Alexis couldn't allow that. She couldn't allow him to murder for her. But she did need him to grab Helena off her yacht and deliver her here, where her men could take over. Then she and Helena would have one final talk.   
  
Marcus Taggert leaned forward and stared. Alexis' whole demeanor changed when Corinthos approached. All her warmth left her. She seemed to shut down. The closer he got, the more remote she became. She didn't smile. She didn't even shake his hand. She simply accepted his best wishes with a small nod of her head and watched him as he walked away. When had this coldness started? Was it after her sister was attacked? There was something more to the attempted abduction. Maybe it wasn't Helena Cassadine. Maybe it was business related. Could the attack on Kristina have caused trouble in Sonny's legal paradise? Could it be possible that Alexis Davis was getting ready to dump Sonny Corinthos as a client? He watched her with hope in his heart. If she could rid herself of Corinthos, maybe she could consider a relationship with someone from the right side of the law. He would love to see Alexis Davis move out of his fantasies and into the realm of wonderful possibilities. Taggert was so focused on the possibilities that he didn't see Sonny slip out of the club. His trousers were tenting again. He looked down at 'Little Marcus' and smiled. "There may be hope for us yet, little buddy!"   
  
.  
  
.  
  
The 'Idle Rich' were starting their first set and Kristina was getting ready to go on stage when Benny approached the main table. He nodded to Johnny, then bent low at the waist and kissed Alexis' hand.   
  
"Happy Birthday Ms Davis! Could you possibly honor me with a dance?"   
  
"Benny, you are such a gentleman. How could I refuse?" She accompanied him to the dance floor.   
  
Benny felt a little like a father dancing at his daughter's coming out party. He was proud to have Alexis on his arm and she seemed delighted to be dancing with him.   
  
"It's quite a crowd you've drawn, Ms Davis."   
  
"Yeah, who knew?" Alexis blushed slightly as she looked down.   
  
Benny smiled at the modest woman in his arms. "I think we all knew, but apparently you didn't. You seem surprised at the level of admiration in which you are held."   
  
"Well frankly, I am."   
  
"We all hold you in high regard. I hold you in high regard."   
  
Alexis leaned back in his arms and eyed him with suspicion. "Benny, I appreciate all the high regarding going on here, but that's not why we're dancing is it?"   
  
"No ma'am. I have a message from Max. The 'package' has arrived. It's being delivered to Luke's office right now."   
  
Alexis worked hard not to let her mouth drop in shock. "You know about the 'package'?"   
  
Benny nodded.   
  
"And you're telling me?" Alexis searched his eyes. "You know, don't you Benny?"   
  
"Yes ma'am"   
  
"How?"   
  
"Well, I encountered some discrepancies, with Johnny, Max and Adam."   
  
"Discrepancies? You encountered discrepancies? What discrepancies did you find, Benny?"   
  
"They haven't picked up their pay in three weeks. That's never happened before. I did some checking and found they don't work for Mr. Corinthos anymore."   
  
"And you know who they work for, don't you Benny?"   
  
"Yes ma'am I do."   
  
"And you've decided to help? Benny, why?"   
  
Benny was solemn. "They have a debt of honor. You have a debt of honor."   
  
"Well God bless 'The Code'. Thank you Benny." As they danced, Alexis glanced over toward the secluded booth at the end of the bar. "I need to get to Luke's office, but lieutenant Taggert seems to be particularly focused on me tonight."   
  
Benny smiled. Ms Davis had no idea how beautiful she was. It only added to her charm. "You shouldn't have worn that dress. No one can take their eyes off of you tonight."   
  
"Really?" Alexis glanced around the room. There did seem to be quite a few men eyeing her. Taggert was practically drooling. She blushed. "Benny you are too kind, but the problem remains. How do I get to Luke's office without Taggert and Capelli noticing?"   
  
"I had an idea about that. I've enlisted some help."   
  
"Who?"   
  
"Elton"   
  
"Elton?" Alexis looked over at the bar where Elton was sitting. He was watching them dance. He was watching Benny dance. She smiled. "Oh Benny, I think he likes you!"   
  
"No I don't think so." It was Benny's turn to blush.   
  
"I do. What's not to like, Benny? You're a man of mystery, with a hint of danger about you. That's hard to resist. Believe me I know."   
  
"I'm a quiet man, Ms Davis. Elton is..." Benny searched for kind words to describe Elton's frenetic nature. "Elton is intense. And he's a bit of a talker."   
  
Alexis smiled as she rested her head on his shoulder. They swayed with the music. "You never know, Benny. Stranger couples have happened." Never in her wildest dreams would she have pictured herself with Sonny. "So how is Elton going to help us?"   
  
"He's going to take care of lieutenant Taggert. I'll take care of Mr. Capelli. Just wait, when the time is right, it will be obvious!" Benny guided Alexis back to her seat. He caught Elton's eye and gave him a small nod. As she sat down, Alexis silently informed Fleming and Johnny that the moment was at hand.   
  
Elton put his finger to the side of his nose, in his best Paul Newman in 'The Sting', impersonation. Drink in hand, he walked the length of the bar to the booth where lieutenant Taggert was hiding. Taggert didn't notice Elton's approach. He was still captivated with Alexis. The dance had given him a wonderful view of the low-cut back of her dress. His trouser problem was in full force. Elton noticed his distress and decided to go with it. He walked directly in front of Taggert, blocking his view and gestured with his drink at the tent crowning his groin.   
  
"What ya got in the pup tent, boy scout?" This was exciting. He'd never flirted with a real undercover cop. He moved in closer, with a lascivious smile. "I can help you with that. Trust me. I can make you a happy camper!"   
  
"What?"   
  
Taggert was desperately trying to see around Elton. He moved his head to the right and tried to shove Elton to the left. As soon as he touched him, the drink flew into the air and Elton let out a high-pitched scream. It cut through the music filled room and hurt every ear in the place. All eyes turned toward Taggert as Elton fell into his lap. Taggert was unprepared for the assault. He groaned in pain. Elton might as well have kicked him in the groin. He reached for the injured area, but Elton was already covering it, so his hands instead ended up around Elton's waist. Their position was most compromising. Elton squealed.   
  
The tabloid reporter looked over and began scribbling furiously. Capelli jumped off his bar stool and headed for his boss. Benny strategically placed a foot in his path. He fell face first to the floor. Peanut shells and stale pretzels stuck to his cheek as he tried to rise. He looked down the length of the bar and saw Elton squirming in Taggert's lap.   
  
"Lieutenant Taggert, I am not that kind of girl!" Elton began slapping at his hands. "Let go of me now, or I swear I will sue you and the PCPD. This is harassment!"   
  
Taggert tried to stand up. He leaned forward in the chair and unceremoniously dumped Elton to the floor. He managed to stand but the pain in his groin kept him hunched over. He stumbled out of the booth trying to catch his breath. When he was finally able to straighten up, he scanned a crowd of faces. He cursed under his breath. Everyone in the room was staring at him. Everyone except Alexis Davis, she was nowhere to be found.   
  
* "The Last Stop" - Dave Matthews Band   
  
** "The Stone" - Dave Matthews Band 


	22. Chapter 22 of 24

Sonny slipped into Luke's office unnoticed. He settled into Luke's battered old desk and poured himself a brandy. He casually swirled the liquor in its snifter. Everything was in place. All that was required was the final piece. He glanced up when heard a knock at the door. Max entered, followed by Adam, pushing a large crate labeled 'Ground Chuck', on a hand cart. Adam angled the crate down and Max cracked it open. Inside, tied to a chair, sat Helena Cassadine.   
  
Max produced a switchblade, silently cut Helena's bindings, then offered her his hand. Hiding her anxiety behind a condescending smile, she reached up and took it. With her chin held high, she rose from the chair and surveyed her surroundings. She immediately recognized Luke's office and internally relaxed a bit. Things were not as dire as she originally believed.  
  
Helena initially thought it was an assassination attempt when masked men stormed her yacht in the middle of her evening constitutional. She prepared herself mentally for the possibility of her own death. She tried to take comfort in the knowledge that she had planned for this moment. She had in place a scheme that would eliminate her enemies in the event of her death. First and foremost she would be released from her promise to Mikkos to keep his bastard daughter alive. If she was to die this night, at least she would die knowing that the children of Kristin Bergman would not survive the week. As soon as her death was confirmed, the contracts she had on Alexis and Kristina would go into effect.   
  
When the intruders made quick, but nonlethal work of her operatives, Helena began to reevaluate her situation. If this was a simple assassination, her men would be expendable. The fact that they were not killed as a matter of course indicated that whoever ordered this, was not as ruthless and cold-blooded as herself. This meant she had an advantage. She offered no resistance to the men, but immediately assumed a royal bearing. Showing no fear, she treated her captors as if they were guests in her home.   
  
Helena was politely but quickly escorted from the yacht to a speed boat. She was the only passenger. The rest of her people were herded to slower transportation. As the boat sped toward its destination, she watched the lights of the shore grow closer. If these men had intended to murder her, they would be heading out to sea. Helena smiled. She was headed for some kind of meeting. That implied negotiation. She must have something her captor wanted. She could work with that, use it to gain an advantage. When she saw her final destination was Luke Spencer's club, she was almost happy. If this was Luke's work, it would be an interesting but nonfatal evening. She shared a unique love/hate relationship with the club owner. The two had been battling for decades, often with devastating damage inflicted on both sides, but neither seemed to be able to kill the other. A meeting with Luke would be stimulating, perhaps painful, but certainly nonlethal. She prepared herself to trade barbs with her favorite enemy.   
  
"Good evening Mrs. Cassadine"  
  
Helena turned to the voice. It didn't belong to Luke Spencer.   
  
"Mr. Corinthos, of course, I should have known it was you."   
  
It was Alexis' mobster client, her friend who was obviously so much more than that. Helena knew her activities rarely touched the business interests of Sonny Corinthos. This must be personal.  
  
"I hope your trip wasn't too unpleasant." Sonny motioned to the two men. They quickly escorted her to the couch across from the desk. The old woman rubbed her wrists as she inspected her whereabouts, then she rested her hands on her crossed legs and regarded her captor with an air of arrogance.  
  
"Oh no, it was a most comfortable trip." Helena smiled her cold, soulless smile and scanned the room looking for Luke. "I see we are in Luke's club. Will he be joining us?"   
  
"No. Luke is not part of this."  
  
Helena became a little uneasy, as she realized her situation was more precarious than she originally thought. She knew Sonny Corinthos was capable of murder. It would be better if Luke were here to keep things from getting out of hand, yet Mr. Corinthos brought her here for a reason. He needed something from her. She still had negotiating power. "I assume we have some business to discuss."  
  
"Yes we do. Do you remember our last discussion? I told you to leave my lawyer alone." Sonny's voice was calm and business cold.  
  
So their business was personal and all about Alexis. "I don't believe I touched your lawyer, Mr. Corinthos."  
  
"You attacked her sister. You caused Alexis heartache. That is unacceptable."  
  
Helena looked into Sonny's eyes. This was extremely personal for him. They weren't discussing his lawyer and good friend, as they had when he originally came to her. His eyes blazed. Just how far had his relationship with Alexis progressed? The more he cared for Alexis the greater her power. She decided to test the waters.   
  
"I don't believe you are concerned for your attorney Mr. Corinthos. Could it be my misbegotten stepdaughter means more to you than just a ticket out of jail? I think you care for her, perhaps even love her?" Helena's eyes widened as she saw the truth of her statement reflected in his face. "You do!" She smiled. She had leverage on this man. She began to play with him. "Be careful Mr. Corinthos. Natasha's lovers don't fare well. They tend to come to an unhappy end."  
  
"Mrs. Cassadine . . . "  
  
"Oh call me Helena, please."  
  
Sonny saw Helena relax and understood she felt she had control of the situation. On another occasion he might enjoy the game she was about to start. Not tonight, tonight he just wanted this business to be done. ". . . Mrs. Cassadine, understand this. Family is very important to me. I know it's important to you." His eyes caught hers and held them. He was deadly serious. "Alexis is my family. Her sister is my family. You have attacked my family. That was a mistake."  
  
Helena almost laughed. He was lost in love. This negotiation would be easy. She had the upper hand. He could not kill her without losing Alexis. He had lost before they'd even begun. "I suppose your going to threaten my life, if I don't leave those two bastards alone. I assure you. I am not moved by threats."  
  
"You don't understand my purpose in bringing you here. I don't make threats. I make promises, promises I don't break. I brought you here to give you two options. You may choose what happens next, but I will tell you right now, you're dead no matter which option you choose."  
  
"Do you think killing me will solve your problems?" Helena looked at Sonny with disdain and laughed. "You underestimate me, Mr. Corinthos. You don't know who I am. You don't know how wide my reach is. Death does not frighten me and my death will not save your precious Alexis or her sister."  
  
"You underestimate me. I know exactly who you are, Mrs. Cassadine. You are so much more than a Cassadine, and I know how important that is to you. You are a Romanov, the great granddaughter of Tsar Nicholas. You, Stefan and Nikolas are his last direct descendants." Sonny watched as Helena's smile faded slightly, then hit her with more knowledge. "Oh wait. I forgot Stavros. You've turned him into a popsicle again. You've got his body stashed in Switzerland." Sonny picked up a file and opened it. "Would you like to know the address of the medical facility? He's in room 1711 and his current body temperature a chilly minus fifty-five degrees, Celsius. They're metric over there." Sonny glanced up over the files, showing his coldest mob boss smile.  
  
Helena wasn't smiling at all now. She had underestimated him. This would be a delicate negotiation, but she still had the upper hand. Sonny Corinthos' love for Alexis would be his downfall. Sonny could see her mind working. She still thought she was in control. He would end that now. It was time for full disclosure. He picked up a second file and examined the top sheet.   
  
"I know you have contracts out on Alexis and others that go into effect at your death. I have been researching your operatives, Mrs. Cassadine. I know who you gave the contracts to." He handed her the sheet. "Here's a partial list. You'll notice I also have their phone numbers."  
  
Helena perused the list and blanched at its accuracy. The list contained five of her most loyal servants. Two of them were assigned to Alexis and Kristina. His knowledge of her operation was wide ranging. Her situation was dangerous and her options were limited.   
  
"This is all very interesting Mr. Corinthos, but what do you expect me to do with this?"  
  
"I expect you to terminate their employment. You will call everyone who has orders to harm my family and rescind those orders. I expect you to call everyone on the list I gave you and everyone on the list I have here." Sonny held up several pages of names and phone numbers.  
  
Helena smiled. They were still at a standoff. Corinthos understood that Alexis' life was forfeit if she were killed. "And if I do, you will let me live? Really Mr. Corinthos . . . "  
  
"You still don't understand, Mrs. Cassadine." Sonny cut her off. "You are not leaving here alive. It's not your life you're saving. It's the lives of your children and grandchildren. If you make those calls, Nikolas will live and I won't destroy popsicle-boy."  
  
Helena looked into Sonny's eyes and felt real fear for the first time this night. He was threatening Stavros and he meant to murder her precious grandson. She fell back on the only weapon she had left. "You cannot harm Nikolas. Alexis loves him."  
  
All emotion left Sonny's face. This was the critical moment. Helena must look into his soul and know the truth. He would murder someone Alexis loved to save her. He gave Helena a cold hard stare. "Try me."  
  
"Alexis would never forgive that. You would lose the family you're trying to protect."  
  
"Alexis will never find out. Nikolas' death will be an unfortunate accident. If you refuse to make those calls I will blow up Stavros. I have a video link to his room. I'll let you watch him die, then I will kill you. After that, I will 'terminate' every employee on these lists. Next week Nikolas will meet with a tragic car accident. I'd make it happen tonight, but it's Alexis' birthday. I don't want her sad on her birthday."  
  
"Did you plan to murder me as a present to her?" Helena had to admire his cold heart.   
  
"No, that was just a happy accident." Sonny rounded the desk and stood directly in front of Helena. "I know you don't care much for your second born and Alexis loves her brother very much, so I will let Stefan live as long as he doesn't produce any children. The line of Olga Romanov and Grigori Rasputin will end with Stefan." Sonny allowed himself a cold smile as he revealed his knowledge Helena's misbegotten heritage. Then he taunted her. "The child you hate will be your only legacy and the Cassadine line will continue through the children of Kristin Bergman."  
  
"You present an interesting proposal, sir." Helena's mind was racing. He would destroy her life's work! She searched for options and alternatives, anything she could use to gain an advantage, but Sonny was intent on closing down all options.   
  
"You should understand that I also have loyal employees. Right now there are long term contracts out on every member of your family. If Alexis is killed, there will be no delay. Every member of your family including Stefan will die within 24 hours. My death will not affect these contracts, nothing will. The fate of your family lies with the safety of Alexis."  
  
"You have left me with a difficult choice." There was a small amount of resignation in Helena's voice. "How do I know my family will be safe?"  
  
"You make those calls and I will consider Nikolas part of my family. I will protect him as I would any other member of my family, as I am protecting Alexis now. You have my word. Your legacy will be safe. My family will be safe. I think it's a win-win situation, but the decision is yours. You have two options Mrs. Cassadine, either way you're dead. Choose now or I will choose for you."  
  
Helena examined her options. Sonny Corinthos was a brilliant tactician. He had completely outplayed her at her own game. She had to admire him.   
  
"Mr. Corinthos, I . . . "  
  
"Wait." Alexis pushed open the office door and strode into the room. 


	23. Chapter 23 of 24

Elton and Benny had done a brilliant job of distracting the watchful eyes of lieutenant Taggert and officer Capelli. Alexis slipped out of the club completely unnoticed and quietly made her way down the hallway to Luke's office. She came upon the office door, cracked it open and listened. Sonny was making Helena an 'offer she couldn't refuse'. He'd set her up perfectly, but it was a cold dangerous game he was playing. In order to defeat Helena he had to threaten the only people who mattered to her, Stavros and Nikolas. Alexis didn't care what happened to Stavros. He was a cruel and heartless man. He tortured her as a child and murdered her best friend. He didn't deserve another chance at life, but Nikolas was her nephew. She loved him deeply and Sonny was threatening to kill him. Alexis looked in his eyes and could see he was prepared to do just that. She shifted her gaze to Helena and saw that she understood this as well. It was frightening to know the extent to which he would go to protect her. She never wanted him to have to contemplate such an action. Yet she knew it was the one threat Helena would truly fear, the one threat he knew would work. The old woman was boxed in. She feared for her son and grandson, and for the bloodline that would die with them.   
  
Then Sonny offered her hope. With her death he would remove the threat against Nikolas and go one step further. He would extend his protection to the young Prince, make him a member of his family. He would assure the future of both the Cassadine and Romanov lines. In one stroke, Sonny became both Helena's greatest enemy and the ultimate protector of all she held dear. Alexis could see she was on the verge of accepting his terms. It was time to intervene. She pushed the door open.  
  
"Wait!" She stopped Helena mid sentence. The old woman showed renewed life at Alexis' intervention.  
  
Sonny looked on with apprehension, afraid of what Alexis might have overheard. If she heard too much, if she knew he was prepared to kill Nikolas, he might lose her forever, but this was a possibility he had accepted when he decided on this course of action. Her safety was more important than his happiness. He would proceed no matter what the cost.   
  
"Alexis you shouldn't be here. You don't have to see this."   
  
"No Sonny, you don't have to do this. You shouldn't do this."  
  
Helena sensed a power shift in the room. Sonny Corinthos feared Alexis' reaction to his proposals. The negotiation wasn't quite finished yet. A cold, condescending smile captured her lips. Even though her only hope of living, now lay in her stepdaughter's hands, Helena couldn't resist insulting Alexis.   
  
"Ah you see Mr. Corinthos. I told you Alexis wouldn't approve. She is too weak to make hard choices."  
  
"Really Helena, you shouldn't ridicule the only person keeping you alive." Alexis pulled Sonny aside. Max and Adam drew closer to Helena, removing any possible avenue of escape.   
  
"I don't want this Sonny."  
  
"It's the only way, Alexis. It will keep you safe. It will keep Kristina safe." As he pleaded, Sonny searched her eyes for any sign she knew what he planned to do to Nikolas. She showed only concern for him.  
  
"At what cost to you Sonny? I know the burden of taking life. You do too. I see how it weighs on you. You try to hide it but I can see how it affects you. Helena's not worth it."   
  
"You're right Helena's not, but you are. Just let me do this for you."  
  
"I am asking you, please don't do this. I cannot look at you and know you murdered for me. Don't make me do that." Tears were clouding her eyes.  
  
Sonny looked into those beautiful brown eyes that still held love for him and cursed his weakness. "Do you have another option, counselor?"  
  
"Exile"  
  
"Exile?"  
  
"Yes, exile her to Greece. Send her back to the Cassadine Island. Let her live the rest of her miserable life there. If she leaves, or causes any more trouble, you can deal with her as you like."  
  
Sonny knew exile would be a temporary solution at best. Helena would come back and cause more trouble. Eventually, for the safety of everyone, she would have to die. Alexis must know it too, yet she was begging him to delay the inevitable. "Alexis is this really what you want? It would be simpler and safer to just kill her."  
  
"I've thought it through, Sonny. This is the best way to handle this. It's the only way really. Trust me. Everything will be fine."  
  
Sonny knew it wasn't the best solution, but he couldn't refuse her. He sighed and turned to Helena. "Alright, you have a third option. You make the calls as we discussed, then my men will escort you to Greece. But know this, you now live at Alexis' whim."  
  
Helena smiled. In exile she would live to fight another day. Alexis just made a fatal mistake. Her weakness would be the death of her. "Under the circumstances I think my choice is clear."  
  
"Just one more thing" Sonny caught Helena's eye. "You attacked my men, when you tried to have Kristina abducted. In my world I can't just let that slide. There must be payback."  
  
"Sonny, what kind of payback are we talking about?" Alexis was concerned. She hadn't planned for this.  
  
Sonny kept his eyes locked on Helena. "Thanks to Alexis you won't die but your yacht is forfeit. It's about to meet with an unfortunate accident." Sonny picked up his cell phone and quietly gave instructions to his men on the yacht. He snapped the phone shut and returned his attention to Helena. "Apparently there's some kind of fuel leak. The yacht is about to go boom. Helena you're lucky. Your body was supposed to be destroyed in the explosion."  
  
Alexis resisted the urge to smile. This would work perfectly with her plans. "Sonny, we need to be in front of witnesses when the ship explodes. We have to get back to the party." She grabbed his hand.   
  
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The reporter from 'SNOOPmag-Port Charles' scanned her notes. She couldn't decide which headline to use, 'Gal-Pal Attorneys Have Gay Time' or 'Top Cop Caught in Compromising Position'. She never dreamed that Alexis Davis' birthday would turn into one giant coming out party. She had surreptitiously taken photos of the night's events and while the 'gal-pal attorneys' had the bigger name recognition, the photo of lieutenant Taggert and his 'girlfriend' had more action and punch. She glanced over at the booth where all the action had occurred.   
  
Officer Capelli handed lieutenant Taggert an ice pack for his injuries. Taggert grabbed it from his outstretched hand and gingerly placed it on his groin. He surveyed the room. Where had Ms Davis gone? He spied Johnny in the same place he was before all hell broke loose. Ms Davis was gone, yet Johnny was still here and he didn't seem too concerned at her disappearance. If Johnny was here, Ms Davis couldn't be that far away. Taggert moved to stand, then quickly reconsidered, as the pain in his groin intensified. The ice would need more time to work. He decided to take a cue from Johnny and just wait. Ms Davis would return. She had to. Her sister was set to perform a special song in her honor and she wouldn't miss that. He felt the cold of the ice pack numb his injuries. He frowned. He also felt wetness there. He looked down at the growing damp area on this trousers and cursed under his breath. The ice pack was leaking.  
  
Kristina was a nervous wreck. It was almost time for her to go on and Alexis was nowhere to be found. Ned was angry and worried. He was sure Sonny had done something to her. He saw the strange display the two of them put on earlier in the evening. Alexis looked to finally be through with Sonny Corinthos. Ned doubted Sonny could stand for that. He would try anything to keep her within his circle of influence. Now she was missing. Had Sonny kidnaped her? Both Kristina and Ned confronted Johnny.   
  
Johnny ignored Ned. He had no rights where Ms Davis was concerned. Kristina he reassured. Everything was fine. Kristina should go on as planned. Ms Davis would be there.   
  
Alexis led Sonny down the hall toward the club proper. Through the doorway she caught Johnny's eye. He nodded and told Kristina her sister was back. She smiled, climbed on stage and signaled the band to start. Kristina's beautiful clear voice filled Luke's club.  
  
* Hey, my friend  
  
It seems your eyes are troubled  
  
Care to share your time with me  
  
Sonny was still worried about how much of his conversation with Helena Alexis had heard. "Alexis, we need to talk about what just happened."  
  
Alexis continued to gently tug on Sonny's arm as they headed back to the club. "Don't worry Sonny. Everything will be fine. We need to get out in public before the yacht explodes."  
  
"But I need to know . . . "  
  
Alexis stopped him with a kiss that took his breath away. "I know one thing. We don't have to hide anymore. I don't want to hide anymore. Come on, I want to dance with you." She pulled him onto the dance floor.   
  
Kristina saw Alexis enter holding Sonny's hand and couldn't contain her huge grin as she sang.  
  
Would you say you're feeling low and so  
  
A good idea would be to get it off of your mind  
  
Sonny still had many questions, but Alexis gave no verbal answers. She communicated everything she wanted to say through touch. She held him close and gave him a half dimpled, contented smile as they danced. She was where she wanted to be. Whatever she heard didn't affect how she felt for him. Sonny stopped questioning and decided to live in the moment.  
  
See, you and me  
  
Have a better time than most can dream of  
  
Better than the best  
  
And so can pull on through  
  
Sonny took hold of the most important person in his world and together they put on a show. They expertly danced across the floor to the rapid beat. It was obvious to everyone there that this was not their first dance. Their bodies moved in fluid unison, and their faces told all. Gone were the flat, emotionless expressions that marked their first meeting of the night. Now they were filled with joy. They both had wide, deep dimpled grins. Their bright, tear filled eyes were locked on each other. Everyone in the club saw it. These two were in love. Ned Ashton and Jasper Jacks saw it and moved toward the couple. Johnny and Fleming worked in tandem to stop them.  
  
Johnny confronted Ned, stopping him before he traveled more than a half dozen steps. Ned eyes bounced from Johnny's no-nonsense stare, to Kristina's enormous grin, to Alexis' obvious bliss. Resignation slumped his shoulders. Alexis was completely in love with Sonny Corinthos. There was nothing he could do. He could try to tear her away but Johnny would put a quick stop to that. Then there was Kristina. She was happily serenading the couple. Making a scene now would not keep him in her good graces and it would ruin Kristina's big moment. Shaking his head, he returned to his seat.  
  
Jax was at the far end of the club, when Alexis entered with Sonny on her arm. She was pulling him onto the dance floor with playful affection. Then they began to dance and he saw the play turn serious. The passion between them was palpable. Everyone could feel it and Alexis wanted it that way. She was making a statement. Jax left a pouting Skye in his wake, as he strode toward Alexis. She didn't know what she was doing. She needed to be saved. Fleming swept across the room to intercept him. He stopped in his tracks when he came nose to nose with the formidable woman. He tried to politely move her out of the way, but she wouldn't budge. He tried to push harder and she grabbed his wrist and gave it a slight twist. She wasn't the easy-going friend Alexis had introduced to him earlier in the evening. She was fierce. Jax knew that if she applied just a little more pressure, his wrist would snap.   
  
"Let me go. I have to save Alexis!"  
  
"Mr. Jacks, she doesn't look like she needs saving right now."  
  
"You don't understand. She's my friend and she's making a big mistake."  
  
Fleming maintained her hold on his wrist and moved in closer to whisper in his ear.   
  
"You say you're Alexis' friend. She says you're a good friend. Be a good friend now and respect her decisions. She's where she wants to be, Mr. Jacks."  
  
Jax looked down at his painful wrist, then over at Alexis. She was where she wanted to be. He'd never seen her so happy. He sighed. "Corinthos had better keep her safe! If he hurts her, I swear . . . " He let Fleming guide him back across the club.  
  
Taggert saw the dance and he was angry. He'd been played. The whole night, the party, the cold looks earlier in the evening, Elton's attack, it was a show to cover something, something illegal. His cell phone rang. He grimaced in pain as he moved to pull it from his pocket.  
  
Whatever tears at us  
  
Whatever holds us down  
  
And if nothing can be done  
  
We'll make the Best of What's Around  
  
As they danced, Sonny and Alexis quickly became lost in each other. It was so good to be able to touch each other. The strain of the evening began to fall away. Everything fell away. They were alone in a club filled to capacity. Sonny twirled her to the center of the room, then caught her in his arms. Alexis gazed into his eyes and smiled.  
  
"Sonny, it's time to claim your territory."   
  
Sonny grinned, pulled her close and kissed her. His hands traveled down her bare back, slipped under the shimmering material of her dress and delighted in the feel of her firm bottom. She moaned softly in his mouth and pressed her chest against his. The reporter for 'SNOOPmag-Port Charles' crossed out her first two choices for headlines and wrote: Cassadine Princess and Mafia Kingpin - Port Charles' Royal Couple  
  
Turns out not where, but who you're with  
  
That really matters  
  
That really matters  
  
And hurts not much, when you're around  
  
When you're around  
  
Taggert snapped his phone shut and smiled. He finally understood what the evening was all about. Helena Cassadine's yacht had just blown up. There appeared to be no survivors. Corinthos murdered his Alexis' wicked stepmother and this whole party was one big alibi. Nodding to the two uniformed officers that just entered the club, he stifled a groan as he rose from his chair. He crossed the club to where Sonny and Alexis stood, still entwined. The officers ripped Sonny away from Alexis. Kristina gasped and stopped singing. The band stopped playing. All conversation in the club stopped. Satisfied that he had everyone's attention, Taggert held up his badge to the crowd.  
  
"Excuse me everybody! I hate to break up this happy moment but it seems there was a murder tonight." He turned to Sonny. "Sonny Corinthos, you're under arrest for the murder of Helena Cassadine."  
  
* The Best of What's Around - Dave Matthews Band 


	24. Chapter 24 of 24

This is the final chapter! I hope you have enjoyed this little saga. Thanks for all the wonderful comments.  
  
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The island of Santorini, Helena Cassadine didn't expect to be taken here. Sonny Corinthos ordered his men to escort her into exile on the Cassadine Island, yet they took her to this small taverna on Santorini instead. Corinthos' two men flanked her as she sat out on the veranda and took in the beauty of the ocean 700 feet below. They spoke very little, stating only that they were waiting for their employer. As she waited for his appearance, a weary old man delivered a glass of Vinsanto and a plate of fruit. She took a sip of the sweet dessert wine and wondered why Mr. Corinthos would want to meet her here. Their business was concluded. She agreed to his proposal and terminated her relationships with her many associates. At least that was the impression she gave him. She had no intention of staying in exile. For now, she would bide her time, and figure out a way she could restore her power base. Yes this was only a temporary setback. As she gazed at the clear blue waters below, she felt the cool ocean breeze. It was a beautiful day. She plucked a miniature tomato from the plate and took a bite.  
  
"It's a beautiful view, perhaps the most beautiful view on the face of the earth."  
  
Helena looked up, hiding her surprise. She never expected to meet with Alexis. "Ah Natasha, have you come to see me off as I return to my home?"  
  
"I have come to bid you farewell, Helena." Alexis nodded to Max and Adam as she sat down opposite Helena. Johnny stood at her side.  
  
"Where is your Mr. Corinthos?"  
  
"Sonny's not here. He's not part of this."  
  
"Oh, then these men are your employees?" Helena gestured with her wine glass, indicating Max and Adam.  
  
"Yes Helena, they work for me. They brought you here so we could talk."  
  
Completely at ease, Helena sat back in her chair and sipped her wine. Her tone was condescending. "Natasha, what do we have to talk about? You have won. I am exiled, never to bother you or your sister again."  
  
"I have questions, Helena. I'd like to know why." Alexis' voice was steel.  
  
"Why what, my dear? Why did I kill your mother? Isn't it obvious?"  
  
"No, it's not. You tolerated my mother's presence in Mikkos' life for more than 10 years before you killed her. Why? And why did you let me live?"  
  
Helena sighed deeply, a faraway look in her eye. "My Mikkos was a brilliant man. If not for Luke Spencer . . . " Sadness invaded her voice as she thought of her dead husband. "He was a great man, my Mikkos, with a great mission. But like all great men, he had his weaknesses. Great men have great desires. He couldn't resist his dark-haired beauties. We had much to accomplish together, so I allowed him his dalliances. You must tolerate much when you are in the presence of greatness."  
  
Alexis would not allow her mother to be trivialized. "My mother was not a simple dalliance. Ten years is not a simple dalliance. Did he hide her from you? When did you find out about us?"  
  
"She was the only woman he hid from me, the only woman he even tried to hide from me." Anger seeped into her voice. "He endangered our mission for her. He tainted the Cassadine line for her!"  
  
"You mean me."  
  
"You are tainted, Natasha. Your blood is not pure. He should have never allowed you to be born. I gave my Mikkos his sons, Princes who could assume the Russian throne, but he wanted a daughter. He had such a soft spot in his heart for little girls. I had no interest in bearing him a female child, but I allowed him a daughter, one daughter." Helena leaned into the table to survey the fruit plate. She selected a piece of melon and stabbed it with a thin, two-pronged fork. "Your mother was not satisfied with that. She needed to be taught a lesson. They both did." She took a bite of the fruit and smiled cruelly. The fork clattered against the plate.  
  
"You killed my mother because of Kristina?"  
  
"I had hoped to dispose of them both. It is my great regret that I could not get rid of your sister while she was still in the womb."  
  
"Yet you let me live?" Inside Alexis was seething, but she kept her voice even.  
  
"As I said, I allowed Mikkos one daughter and you were so traumatized Natasha, you couldn't remember who you were. You were a weakling. You still are, just like your mother. The blood will out you know." Helena picked up the wine glass and casually contemplated the rose-colored liquid. She still thought of Alexis as the frightened child Mikkos brought back to the Cassadine Island so many years ago. "I let him bring you home. In return he never strayed again. Still, his weakness caused problems. As soon as you arrived, my sons noticed the difference. They felt his love diminish. With you around, there was less room in his heart for them."  
  
Alexis was surprised at this comment. "Helena, Mikkos barely tolerated my presence. He seldom talked to me. He rarely smiled at me. He practically ignored me."  
  
"He never ignored you. He was always watching you. You never left his thoughts. You didn't see it, but I did. You filled his heart. There was no room in it for my Stavros. It mattered little that Stefan was loved less. He was weak and unimportant. He didn't even seem to care. He loved you, just as Mikkos did. Stefan doted on you and Mikkos encouraged him. It was disgusting. He inherited all of Mikkos worst traits. But my precious Stavros, my beautiful first born, was robbed of a father's love because of you."  
  
Alexis was having trouble controlling her emotions. "You terrorized me as a child and tried to kill me as an adult, just because my father had the audacity to love his daughter in secret?"  
  
"You did not deserve his love! It rightfully belonged to Stavros. He was the Prince."  
  
"He was a cruel sociopath, unable to feel any real emotion. That wasn't because of Mikkos. It was because of you, Helena." Alexis grew sarcastic. "Blood will out you know, like mother, like son."  
  
Helena said nothing but began to rub her hands together. They felt as if they were falling asleep, numb and tingly at the same time. Alexis noted her movements.  
  
"And what about Christian?"  
  
Helena glanced up at the old man who was refilling her wine glass. Gregour put the wine bottle down on the table and moved to stand next to Max. "I don't know to whom you are referring." She was preoccupied. Her hands were cold and she couldn't feel her fingertips.  
  
Alexis was incredulous. Helena honestly didn't seem to remember. "You don't remember that you ordered the death of my fiancee? You sat in that very chair and commanded your men to kill him!"  
  
"Oh that foolish boy, he was of no consequence. That was so long ago, Natasha, why do you even bother asking about that?" Helena frowned and began to shake her hand. The tingling was extending up her arm. She looked at Alexis. "What is going on? I can't seem to feel my hands."  
  
Alexis shook her head in resignation. Questioning Helena was a futile exercise. It was past time to try to make sense of her actions. She was an evil sociopath just like Stavros, concerned only with herself. Alexis would find no reason or meaning. Helena killed because she could. It was as simple as that. Alexis' voice grew cold. "Your hands feel numb from the effect of the poison I gave you."  
  
Helena's eyes widened. It was her turn to be surprised. She never thought Alexis had it in her, yet it appeared Mikkos' weakling offspring was trying to commit murder. She glanced down at the wine. "Poison?"  
  
"It's a slow acting poison. Without the antidote it will take two or three days to kill you."   
  
Helena stood up and attempted to flee. She ran straight into the arms of Gregour. She struggled against him, but the old man was strong. The rage he felt for Helena only made him stronger. He gripped her arms so tight, bruises were rapidly beginning to form. Had she had any feeling there, she would be in great pain.   
  
"The short term effects are a bit disconcerting though. You've already noticed the numbness in your hands and arms. Soon your legs will fail you. If allowed to run unchecked, the numbness will travel your chest in a day or two and you will slowly asphyxiate. But I promise you, you will not suffer the full effects of poison." Alexis turned her attention to Christian's brother. "Gregour, your waiting is over. I give Helena to you. Seek your retribution as you see fit." For the first time in her life, Alexis saw real fear in the eyes of Helena Cassadine.  
  
Gregour turned Helena to face him. "Do you not know me, Madame Cassadine?" His hate filled words were uttered in Greek. "I am the brother of that foolish, inconsequential boy you murdered. He was a fine man. He would have made a good husband and father. You stole his life. You stole him from me. You stole him from Alexis. Today you pay." Gregour took out a knife and stabbed Helena, once in the abdomen, the same wound Christian was dealt. "I curse you. May you travel swiftly to hell and rot there for eternity!" He pulled the blade from her abdomen, then slipped it between her ribs and into her heart. Alexis watched in silence as Helena's life quickly drained from her body. Finally she turned to Johnny and extended her hand.   
  
"Johnny, please"  
  
Johnny hesitated. "Ms Davis, it's not necessary. She's dead."   
  
Alexis was unyielding. "It is necessary, Johnny. Please, give it to me now." She waved her open palm in front of him. He sighed sadly, removed his revolver and handed it to her, butt first. She took it in both hands and fully extended her arms to aim at Helena's still form. She cocked the hammer back and pulled the trigger. The report echoed over the sheer cliffs, frightening the seabirds below. The bullet entered the center of Helena's forehead and lodged deep within her brain. Again Alexis cocked the gun. A second shot echoed, as it pierced her cold, dead, heart. Alexis handed the gun back. "Thank you Johnny." She turned to Max and Adam. "Thank you, both of you" Finally, she turned to Gregour, with tears in her eyes. "I am sorry it took so long for you to receive the justice you deserved."  
  
Gregour drew her into his arms. "It does not matter, Alexis. What is important, is that justice was finally served." He pulled back to look at her with compassionate eyes. "You should leave now. We know what must be done. Go. I know where to find you when we are finished." She nodded and without looking back, left the taverna.  
  
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Sonny was furious that his phosphorescent green motor scooter could not travel faster. His pace was agonizingly slow. It felt as if he was inching his way along the tiny road that twisted its way up the sheer cliffs of Santorini. He needed to find Alexis.   
  
It had taken far too long for Fleming Goeffin to get his release from the PCPD. Taggert was pig-headed, more pig-headed than usual. His vendetta against Sonny seemed to have risen to a higher plane. It didn't matter that Helena's yacht blew up in international waters. It didn't matter that he had no proof that Helena Cassadine was even dead. It didn't matter that Taggert himself could be called as an alibi witness, because he saw Sonny at Lukes when the yacht exploded. There was just no way Marcus Taggert was going to release Sonny Corinthos, when he had him on murder charges. Sonny didn't help matters when he made disparaging remarks about Taggert's damp trousers and what lay beneath them. Taggert roughly pushed Sonny into one of the steel chairs in the interrogation room, then pulled his arms up and out, locking his cuffed hands to the table. The lieutenant's eyes were full of hate and something else, jealousy?  
  
Sonny sat at the table, angry and apprehensive. Alexis had disappeared. In all the commotion of the arrest, she just blended into the crowd and slipped away. Sonny couldn't figure out just how she managed that particular feat. She looked stunning tonight. How could she leave unnoticed wearing that dress? She didn't come to the police station, and he knew she didn't go home to change. If she intended to come, she wouldn't have bothered with changing. She'd have swept into the station house, raising holy hell, oblivious to the stir her attire would have caused and he'd be released by now. He wasn't released yet and Alexis didn't come to the station for a reason.   
  
His new attorney, Fleming Goeffin was very accommodating, letting Taggert delay things without complaint. She seemed to be in no great hurry to get him released. The only thing she protested with any vigor was Taggert's attempt to put him in a cell. That's when it all clicked into place. Fleming wasn't trying to get his release. She was delaying him for some purpose. Sonny was sure it was at Alexis' request. Johnny told him how Ms Goeffin wiped the floor with Taggert at the hospital, yet here at the station house she was deferential. He couldn't believe she could be so strong then and so weak now. He couldn't believe Alexis would put his legal affairs in the hands of an incompetent. Then Taggert mentioned a cell, and she sprang into action, fierce and unrelenting. Mr. Corinthos would not spend one second behind bars. Taggert was almost cowering when they left the interrogation room together. That was the clincher. Alexis knew he was claustrophobic. She must have told Fleming not to let the PCPD put him in a cell. So Alexis wanted him delayed here, but why? Sonny slammed his cuffed hands against the worn wooden table. Helena! She planned to handle Helena herself. He needed to get out of here. Where the hell was his attorney?  
  
Finally Fleming returned to the interrogation room, with Lieutenant Taggert in tow. In her hands, she held a time-stamped, security camera photo, of Helena Cassadine boarding a plane at La Guardia Airport. With absolute proof that Helena was alive three hours after her supposed death, Sonny was released. Fleming then told him everything. How Alexis hired away Max, Adam and Johnny. How she planned to steal Helena away from him and send her to Greece. How she purposely distracted him and let him get arrested so she would have the time to do what she felt she must, take care of Helena herself. He was both angry and amazed. Alexis was brilliant. She outsmarted him at his own game, but she was needlessly endangering herself. She could end up in jail or god forbid, dead. He had to get to her. He tried to push past Fleming. She stood her ground, but instead of trying to stop him, she handed him his passport, then directed him to the roof where her helicopter was waiting. The chopper took him to La Guardia, where he boarded an international flight for Greece. He finally ended up here, on a dayglo green motor scooter, traveling much too slowly up the winding roads of Santorini. He hadn't covered even one quarter the distance to the taverna when he heard the shots. "Damn!" He willed the scooter to go faster.  
  
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Christian's cave had changed little in the years since his death. Alexis made sure of it. It took her five years after she passed the bar and started to practice law, to earn enough money to buy it, then another two years to fully restore it. She hid the purchase by using several holding companies. Only Gregour knew she was the owner. She never visited here. She had an agent oversee the work and report back to her in the States. She feared if Helena knew she valued the property, it would somehow be destroyed. There was no need to fear Helena now. She dropped a tape into the cassette deck. Slow instrumental jazz filled the home.   
  
Alexis wrapped her arms around herself and gazed at the whitewashed walls, almond carpet and simple dark wood furnishings of his bedroom. Some of the happiest times of her life were spent here with Christian. She could still feel his arms around her, that electricity that flowed every time they touched. She remembered the nights they shared his bed, and falling asleep in his arms. She loved how he needed to touch her always, as he slept. She could still see his kind smile when he greeted her in the morning.  
  
She wandered into the kitchen and opened an overhead cabinet. She had all the old pots and pans stored there exactly as Christian liked them. She touched a huge stew pot, her hand tracing the smooth curve of the copper bottom. She smiled. He loved to cook and she loved to watch him cook. They would laugh and talk while he chopped and grated and stirred his secret ingredients. Wonderful aromas filled their home, as they spoke of their hopes and dreams, for themselves, and for their children. They planned their future here.  
  
"This was Christian's second favorite place in the world." Gregour's gentle voice called her out of her reverie. Alexis turned to him, a sad smile on her face.  
  
"Second favorite? I always thought this was his favorite place."  
  
"No, his favorite place was wherever you were." Gregour walked to Alexis, arms outstretched. The old man's touch was gentle, his words healing. "Don't ever think he would have been better off without you. You were his entire world Alexis. Without you, he would have died." He reached for her right hand and held it in front of him. He touched the rings Christian gave her, rings that once graced his own mother's hand. "He told me so himself, when he came to get these, when he told me he planned to marry you."  
  
Alexis bowed her head, her lips touching both the rings and Gregour's strong hands. "I loved him so much Gregour. I still do. I just wish things could have been different. I wish Helena . . . "  
  
"Helena Cassadine doesn't matter anymore. She is finished. I have taken care of everything." Still holding her hand, Gregour led Alexis out of the kitchen and onto the terrace.  
  
"Have you Gregour?" Alexis' eyes met his, her attorney's mind now fully engaged. "I don't want you to go to prison for this. You've paid too much already."  
  
"Do not worry. I have done this before."   
  
Just as he'd done with the two men who stabbed Christian so many years ago, Gregour took Helena's body to the kitchen of the taverna and ground it up. Her remains were now indistinguishable from any of the many ground meats he served there. He dumped the meat, along with the rest of the restaurant waste into garbage bags and loaded them on board his father's old fishing boat.   
  
"Her body will never be found. It does not exist anymore."  
  
"You're sure?"  
  
"I am sure. Do not worry."   
  
They crossed the terrace that overlooked the ocean one thousand feet below. Alexis gazed into the late afternoon sky. The sun was beginning its downward arc over the seven mile wide, caldera. The whitewashed houses, cut into the cliffs, reflected the golden glow of the western sky. Below the seabirds ignored the many fishing boats returning from a day at sea. Instead they concentrated on the lone boat heading out. Gregour focused on this boat as well. As they did every afternoon, the men on board were dumping garbage, recycling the edible waste from his taverna. He watched as the birds flocked above his father's fishing boat. Table scraps and damaged fruit mixed with ground meat were tossed over the side, leaving a crimson wake. The birds fought and screeched as they gorged themselves on the bloody morsels. Gregour smiled, then glanced at Alexis. She didn't see the boat. She was lost in thought, focused on the sunset. It was her first here, since Christian's death. Sensing her need for solitude, he bid her farewell.  
  
Alexis stood at the precipice of the terrace, looked out over the ocean and listened to Christian's old cassette tape.   
  
* You thrill me.  
  
I know you thrill me.  
  
Darling you thrill me.   
  
Honest you do  
  
Memories washed over her, memories of the first time she told him she loved him, the first time they made love. Things were perfect then. The future was bright and limitless. Then Helena came and tore him away. She tore away their future. She tore away their hopes and dreams. She tried to destroy everyone Alexis loved. No longer, Helena was gone now. Sonny was safe. Kristina was safe. Alexis had her retribution, yet she had no sense of triumph, no joy, just an oppressive sense of loss. Christian was gone forever. The children they hoped for, were never born. Her mother would sing no lullabies to grandchildren she would never be able to see or hold. There was so much pain and loss. Helena's death couldn't bring them back, nothing could, but now Alexis was free to truly mourn them. Tears filled her eyes. She leaned heavily on the parapet, shaking with grief.  
  
Sonny entered the terrace and saw her there. She was alive and safe, but she was in agony. His heart ached to see her in so much pain. He quickly closed the distance between them, reached out tentatively and touched her shoulder.  
  
"Hey"  
  
Alexis started at the sound of his voice. She turned to him and saw her pain reflected in his face. A tear tracked down her cheek. "I'm glad you're here."  
  
Sonny opened his open arms and she fell into his embrace, sobbing softly. He held her tight, gently stroking her back to soothe her trembling body. He buried his face in her sweet floral scented hair, kissing her and whispering words of comfort. When her sobs subsided, he framed her face in his hands and brushed away the last of her tears with his thumb.  
  
"Hey are you okay?"  
  
"I'm okay. It's just been a difficult day."  
  
"Helena?"  
  
Alexis pulled out of his embrace and turned to the parapet. She watched the waves crash on the shore below. "We don't have to worry about Helena ever again."   
  
Sonny moved to stand beside her. He touched her shoulder. "Alexis, you didn't have to do this. I was going to take care of Helena for you."  
  
Her gaze remained locked on the ocean. "I didn't want you to. It was my duty, my responsibility. I didn't want you to kill for me. It was bad enough you had to make the choices you did."  
  
Sonny's stomach tightened. "You heard."  
  
"I heard everything, Sonny." She turned to face him, searching his eyes. "Would you have gone through with it? Would you have killed Nikolas and Stefan?"  
  
Sonny looked down. He wasn't proud of the choice he made. "I don't know. I know Helena had to think I would. I'm glad I didn't have to find out." Sonny looked up and captured her eyes with his. "I do know one thing. If it comes down to a choice between you and Nikolas, or you and Stefan, or you and anyone else. I choose you. I will always choose you and I won't apologize for that."  
  
"Hmm"  
  
"Do you hate me?"  
  
"No." Alexis was thinking about the hard choices she made. She had deceived and manipulated Sonny. She wasn't proud of that.  
  
"Are you going to leave me?" There was real fear in Sonny's voice.  
  
"Why would you ask that? Everything I did today was for you, you and Kristina. All I want is for you to be safe. Do you hate me?"  
  
"Why would I hate you?"  
  
"I kept things from you. I stole information. I stole your employees. I misled you. Sonny, I set you up."  
  
"Yeah you did. You were masterful, really. I'm glad you're on my side."  
  
"I was always on your side. I always will be. But I can't promise I won't do something like this again, if the circumstances warrant it."  
  
"Hmm"  
  
  
  
"So, do you hate me?"  
  
"Come here." Sonny smiled as they wrapped their arms around each other. "You are a part of me, the best part of me. Look I don't think this set of circumstances is going to come up again. You don't have anymore psychopathic, wicked stepmothers, do you?"  
  
Alexis looked up at him and laughed. "God, I hope not."  
  
"Then can we just let it go and move on?"   
  
"I think that's a good idea."  
  
The flaming sun was finishing its downward arc, its golden hue reflected in the ocean below them. Sonny rested his head against hers. Content, with Alexis in his arms, Sonny breathed in the cool ocean air.  
  
"This is the place isn't it? The one you told me about in the elevator? It's exactly the way you described it, the most beautiful place on earth."  
  
"Yeah, this is it."   
  
Alexis relaxed in Sonny's arms, as they both watched the sun slowly fall between the two small islands that crowned the ancient caldera. The gold gave way to orange as the sun kissed the horizon.   
  
"Sonny?"  
  
"Yeah"  
  
"You told Helena I was family. Did you mean that? Do you really want me to be part of your family?"  
  
Sonny knew he had no right to join his life with Alexis. With Helena gone, the danger in her life would now come from him. Yet he still had this dream. It was of a life spent with Alexis and their children, lots of children . . . or maybe just one. He could see a little girl with soft brown eyes and gently curled, chestnut hair. She had her mother's dimples and she melted his heart every time she ran into her daddy's arms. He wanted that dream to be real.   
  
"Yes, if that's okay with you. I love you Alexis. I want you in my life always. Do you want us to be a family?"  
  
For the first time in a long time, Alexis saw her future filled with possibilities. The doors she'd closed and locked so many years ago, were opening. She'd locked off so much of herself because of Helena. She'd closed the door on love, on marriage and children. Now it was safe to dream again. She had a chance to be with the man she loved. They had a chance to build a life together and perhaps something more.  
  
"A family . . . " Alexis snuggled close to Sonny and watched as the sky changed from orange to rosy red. ". . .that sounds nice."  
  
* You Send Me - Sam Cooke 


End file.
